Hangman's Alliance
by PirateBlacksmith
Summary: Pirate and commodore must team up to find out who's targeting those who are close to Elizabeth. Concluded.
1. Hangman

The somber beat of the drum was the only sound that filled the square in that early morning. The people stood below the gallows, huddling for the warmth against the biting wind, staring up at the platform. Their eyes rested on the prisoner, who was soon to meet death. His chin was lifted high, as if his impending doom couldn't even damage his pride. Dark eyes swept over the crowd, watching the whisperers, the pointing, the glances. Dark hair fluttered across his face as the executioner pulled the noose tighter, coarse fibers digging into his neck. Yet still, his deadpan expression never changed. Only his eyes held any emotion at all, as they stopped on one person. 

_Elizabeth__. Her eyes held his, fighting back the tears that threatened to flood down her face. As she watched, her fingers played with the chain around her neck. The object on it was supposed to be one of joy, not of a curse, but it had seemed to turn out that way. Her fingers trailed over the smooth surface of the gold band, the band that he'd made for her, as he had no money to pay for one. But to her, it was more exquisite, more elegant than anything sold at the jewelers, because it had been made by him. Her father turned to look at her, and she quickly dropped it down the front of her bodice, so that he wouldn't see it. If he did, he'd take that away from her to. She shut her eyes as the memory of that day swept over her._

_"__Elizabeth__?" His eyes twinkled with mirth as he saw her standing at the end of the docks, waiting for him. She picked up her skirts, running towards him and throwing her arms around his neck, laughing._

_"I've missed you so." She whispered in his ear as he held her close._

_"And I you." Came his response. She wrapped her arm around his, walking slowly down the deck. Once, she turned around, looking out over the sea, then back at him._

_"Did you find out what you needed to know?" She asked, lowering her voice and leaning towards him. _

_"Aye." He responded, looking over at her. "But as much as I discovered myself out there, one thing stood out among all the rest."_

_She watched him questioningly, brushing a curl from her face. Did she want to hear this? Would he tell her that a life on the sea was what he wanted more? Her heart sped up as he turned towards her, getting down on one knee._

_"I need you in my life, __Elizabeth__. Will you marry me?" His eyes were full of sincere hope as he looked up at her, waiting patiently._

_Her hand flew to her mouth, and for a few moments, she couldn't work up the ability to speak. Finally, the words came out in a rush, like water from a dam. "Yes! Yes, of course I'll marry you!" She shouted joyfully, wrapping her arms around his neck as he got to his feet. The tender kiss between them made her soar._

_He pulled back, pulling a small box from the back of his knapsack and flicking it open. The ring he pulled out was a simple golden band. "It's not much, but I'll get you a better one when I get more…"_

_"It's beautiful." She murmured, as she took it from his hand. It was well crafted, smooth and bright, and she smiled as she saw the inscription on the inside. Yours Eternally. She slipped it on one finger, watching as the sun caught it and reflected. "Just beautiful."_

Her hand went to the chain again, pulling out the ring and holding it tight in her fist. She couldn't look at him anymore. Not when he was about to leave her. Tears flowed from her eyes again as the charges were read. _Piracy, hearsay, rebellion against the crown. The list went on, hurting her more and more. She needed comfort and she slowly slipped her hand into not of that of her father's, or of Norrtington's, but of Will's best friend, Michael Harden, who was standing next to her. She looked up to him, seeking the comfort she so dearly needed, but she knew she'd find none when she saw the wet streaks running down his face. Of course, they had been best friends since they were twelve, inseparable. This had to be hurting him as much as it hurt her. Steeling herself, she glanced over at her father and Norrington. The looks on their faces surprised her just as much._

Governor Swann held his chin high, trying to maintain the air of authority about him, but his slumped shoulders begged otherwise. He seemed to be fighting the urge to just walk away, to not witness this sight. Norrtington's face betrayed nothing, but his eyes told a different story. Conflict over what was right, and what was wrong. He was bound by law to hang pirates, but what happened when the pirate was a good man? He seemed to notice Elizabeth's eyes on him and turned his head slightly, but she had already looked back down at the ground again.

The drumbeat sped up, faster and faster. The executioner's eyes were on him, but he couldn't do it. Although he still felt a slight twinge of jealousy, of love lost, when Elizabeth had chosen the blacksmith, he bared no grudge. The man about to be hung was a good man, no matter what his bloodlines dictated.

"Commodore." Governor Swann said in a low voice. "Please, you must end the boy's suffering in waiting now. There's nothing more we can do." Norrington continued to stare stoically ahead. He shut his eyes, then raised a hand. The signal was given. He heard the groan as the lever was pulled, and the hollow thump as wood hit wood, the trap door swinging away.

The governor's hand suddenly grasped his shoulder, squeezing tighter. "Good Lord, the boy's neck didn't break." He whispered. Norrington looked down at the ground, eyes still shut, hearing Elizabeth's sobs from someway nearby, full of pain. He waited, and waited.

The footsteps of the doctor ascending the stairs to the galley came to him, and he opened his eyes, but didn't look up. The crowd was hushed, waiting for his assessment. 

"He's dead."

But unlike the other hangings, this announcement elicited no shouts of joy, no celebration. The peopled turned, disappearing off to homes and businesses. They'd seen one they'd known for years, one they'd always known as a good lad, hang. It didn't matter if he was a pirate or not. They would take no joy in it.

Elizabeth and Michael had dropped to the ground, sobbing in each others arms. Norrington looked up, and over to the governor. The man was trying to wipe the tears from his eyes, it grieving him to see his own daughter grieve so. The commodore remained stoic, but inside, an overwhelming guilt was devouring him.

"I was bound by law…" He whispered, but that made no difference to the woman he loved, never would.

Her true love, William Turner, was dead.


	2. Ghosts of the Past

James Norrington stood at the window of his office, staring out over the harbor. His fingers undid the buttons on his uniform coat before reaching down to take up the glass of whiskey again. Today was never a good day. Most of the year, it was bearable, but when this day hit every year, he saw her suffer. The pain in her eyes betrayed the smile she gave people when she assured them she was ok. She could barely look at her child, Will's child.

_Has it really been seven years already since William was hung?_ The thought came out of nowhere, although it had been in his mind all day, pushed to his subconscious. There was something that still didn't settle right about it with him, and the events that followed. And as if to add to his burden, an attempt had been made on his life.

A month ago, on a night such as the one creeping up on the town now, he'd been on his way home when the carriage had been attacked. He'd been lucky to get away at all, considering his foot slipped and he had fallen down the slope in the midst of the fight, knocked out when his head hit a rock. His driver hadn't been as lucky. James couldn't put a finger on the physical description of the men, his memory of that day altered by the head injury he'd sustained. But one detail had stuck with him. It wasn't a random attack. They had been looking for him.

Setting the glass on the desk, he sat back down in his chair, bringing the candle closer so that he could see the papers he needed to work on. It was always the same, crimes that needed punishments, Navy deployments, announcements from the king. But his mind was not in it at all. Instead, his thoughts drifted in another direction, the story Elizabeth had told him a year later.

_Elizabeth pulled another plate out of the soapy water, scrubbing off the leftover food before rinsing it off and placing it on the rack to dry. That being done, she pushed the buckets of water back from the edge of the counter. She'd have Will take them outside and dump them._

_Walking along the hallway, she heard a soft sound issuing from Emma's room. She slowed down, sneaking to the doorway and peering in. The sight that greeted her made a smile appear as she leaned against the doorway._

_Will sat in the rocking chair, their baby girl lying gently in his arms. His eyes were for her only, watching as she fought against sleep, her eyelids fluttering as she stared back up at him. He rocked slowly, singing an old hymn he remembered from his childhood._

_"Guardian angels will protect thee. All through the night…." Emma let out a content sigh, burying herself in the blankets at the crook of his arm. He smiled, then looked up as __Elizabeth__ entered._

_"I got her to sleep." He said quietly, as she tiptoed over to him, placing a hand on his shoulder and looking down._

_"She's daddy's little girl." Elizabeth responded, then gently took Emma from his arms, carrying her to the cradle to sleep. He stood up, and as she laid the baby to sleep, he wrapped his arms around her waist. Standing up, she twisted so that she faced him, her arms around his neck._

_"I love you, Elizabeth Turner."_

_"And I love you, William Tu…" She never got to finish the sentence as a loud crashing sound came from the kitchen. Emma's eyes fluttered open and a soft whimper came from her lips._

_"Stay with her!" Will told her, heading out the door. He rushed to the kitchen, only to find five redcoats with their guns trained on him. "What's the meaning of th…" His arms were wrenched behind his back and manacled. "I demand to know…." He stopped, eyeing Gillette as he stepped from behind the men, coming into the house._

_"William Turner, you have been charged with piracy. You'll be taken to…"_

_"You can't do this! I was granted clemency!"_

_"Which you paid no regard to!"_

_"I want to speak with Norrington! Where is he?"_

_"The Commodore is away at sea, but he will return in the early morning. As his lieutenant, I'm acting in his stead. Now, as I was saying before, you will spend the night in the jail, and your trial will take place in the afternoon." His attention was caught when __Elizabeth__ came marching into the room, Emma wailing in her arms._

_"I demand to know what this is!" She shouted, as she surveyed the scene. "Where are you taking my husband?"_

_"Your husband has been charged with piracy, Mrs. Turner."_

_"Piracy? Surely you must be joking. Who told you this?"_

_Gillette shook his head. "I'm sorry, but I must protect the witness." Her mouth hung open in shock as Will was dragged from the house. She still stood there long after, her daughter crying in her arms, and __Elizabeth__ staring at the door._

_I must protect the witness._ That one phrase stood out in Norrington's mind. Something was very wrong. The day of the hanging, Will's body disappeared before it was ever cut down from the noose, the papers from the trial, the evidence, were all gone. He rubbed his eyes, feeling the start of a headache coming on.

He'd lobbied for the blacksmith, but he'd been overruled. Judge Matheson had told him bluntly that he was too close to the case, being friends with both Will and Elizabeth. Yet they still made him give the order.

He could see that it killed her everyday to think about him. She had willingly remarried him a year later, but she didn't hold the same love for him that she had for Will. Emma was like his own daughter, but the girl bore a very striking resemblance to that of Elizabeth's first husband. He knew that everywhere she turned, she saw him. His shadow would always be over James's head. Always. Which was why he couldn't tell her about his striking suspicions.

Deciding that attempting anymore work was useless, he started to get ready to leave. He reached forward to snuff the candle when it flickered, and went out. A chill wind blew through the room, as if the door to his office was open. Then he realized it was, when the cold metal of a pistol rested at the back of his neck.

"Get up." James lifted his hands carefully, standing up slowly as not to give the intruder any reason to shoot. The voice behind him struck a memory chord, a rough British accent. He couldn't place it though.

"What do you want?" He asked, staring straight ahead. The pistol came away from the back of his neck, but he could still feel it's presence as the intruder moved around him in the dark. A flick of a match, and the candle lit again, bathing the room in a golden glow.

James scrutinized the man standing before him, his face partially hidden by the brim of the tri cornered hat pulled low. He had to be a pirate. Dark pants and boots, a loose white shirt hidden under the over vest, and a long overcoat. Dark hair framed his face, a few dreadlocks here and there, and a slight goatee. The one distinguishing feature was the scar under his neck. Something tingled in the back of James's mind. That scar, it was important somehow, even if he'd never seen it before. 

"Been a long time, James." The man spoke, then lifted the brim of his hat slightly, dark eyes boring into James's. He barely had time to react before he was thrown back into the chair, the pistol up under his chin.

"What's the matter? You look like you've seen a ghost." James was frozen in shock, staring up into the cold eyes of Will Turner.


	3. Tension

"It can't be." Norrington said quietly, staring up into Will's eyes. "You're dead. I saw you die." His heart hammered in his chest, and he'd completely forgotten the pistol shoved up against his throat.

"I was dead." Will responded coldly. He looked down upon the man he had once thought of as a friend and ally, but not after what had happened. He'd been betrayed, and if there was one thing he couldn't stand, that was it. "Just like you wanted me to be. Just like Jack is now." Hurt crossed his features.

"Jack…Jack Sparrow is dead?" James stuttered, grasping the arms of the chair. "How?"

His response was to be slammed against the chair. "Don't give me that. You knew that Tortuga is a sanctuary city. The Navy has no jurisdiction there, but you didn't care. You ordered your men to go in there and find him. Then they shot him in the back, like the cowards they are." His eyes were full of anger, and he could see the fear in James's face as well.

"I never did anything. I understand the rules of a sanctuary city. I would never do such a thing." He protested.

"But you did. Do you know what it's like to watch your best friend, your only ally left in the world, die in your arms?" He yanked Norrington to his feet, hand grasping the commodore's collar tightly. "So don't lie to me."

"I'm not. You have to believe me." He held up his hands. "Something's going on here, and we're both in the middle of it." Will frowned, staring if him as if gauging whether it was a trick or not. 

"What are you talking about?" He backed off slightly, motioning with the pistol for James to sit down in his chair while he himself sat on the edge of the desk.

"When did Jack die?" James asked bluntly.

"About three months ago." Will said quietly, staring at the floor. James leaned forwards.

"Before I say anything, you have to know, I fought for your release. But they went over my head, got the council to override my decision." He said, sincerity in his voice. He watched as Will's fingers trailed against the scar on his neck. That was why it seemed so important. The rope must have dug into his neck when he'd been struggling for air.

"Whatever you say." The tone of his voice made it clear he wasn't about to believe a word that James said to him. 

"I'd prove it to you, if the papers hadn't been stolen." He needed Will's trust.

"Look, just say what you have to say."

"There's something going on here, in Port Royal. I can't exactly say what yet." He got up, then stopped, but Will made no movement, the pistol resting on his knee, finger around the trigger.

"First, your body disappeared, but that's no longer a mystery, as you are sitting right here. Then, when I got back to my office, all the papers from your trial had gone missing. Evidence, witness statements, everything. Even the order for you death." He started pacing. "Then there have been attempts on my life."

"You make a lot of enemies. It's bound to happen. Don't see what's so special about it."

"They started after I married Elizabeth." Will's head shot up. A mixture of emotions was written on his face, hurt, anger, sadness.

"I still don't see what you're getting at."

"Don't see, or don't want to see? There is something happening here, and like I said, we're both in the middle of it." He muttered. Will got to his feet.

"You have nothing. You're just trying to give me a reason why I shouldn't kill you for killing my best friend."

"You wouldn't."

"I would. People change, James. I've changed. That's what happens when you die falsely accused." 

Both men stood up straight, looking each other in the eye. The tension was thick in the air, and at any moment, just one thing could make it snap.

Like a torch being thrown through the window and landing a few feet away. Both of them turned around, watching as the desk caught first, the fire spreading rapidly, hungrily eating up wood and paper. James grabbed his coat, trying to put out the flames when another torch was thrown through the window.

He was surprised when Will grabbed his arm, and dragged him to the door. "You can't fight it, its spread too much. Come on." He grabbed a hold of the knob, wrenching it around, but it refused to open. He pushed harder.

"What's wrong?"

"Your door. It's stuck." James joined him at the door, and they both pushed.

"There's something against it." He muttered, hearing something scrape against the floor. He stood back. "We have to use some force." Will joined him, and on the commodore's count, both launched themselves at the door. It slid open a few inches. Backing up, they repeated the motion. Finally, the door flew open, spilling them both out into the hallway. Will sat up, pistol out and looking up and down the dock for intruders. But not so much as a shadow even moved.

"What the hell is going on here?" He coughed into the sleeve of his coat, as James got to his feet. He glanced around as well, before looking down at Will.

"Welcome home."


	4. Uneasy Alliance

An uneasy alliance was what it had come down to. The tavern was one of those down and out places on the outskirts of town, where no one would ever have expected to find a commodore. Of course, no one would expect to find the blacksmith long thought dead either. Will tapped his fingers impatiently against the bar, waiting for the two mugs of ale he'd called for. One of the tavern's many wenches sidled up beside him, threading her arm through his. He shook it off, and she pouted at him.

"What's 'hat about?" She said, in a squeaky pitched voice that made him want to shudder. "Don't ya want some comfortin'?" Rubbing his shoulders, she tried to get closer. "I can fix that tension."

"If you don't stop touching me, you'll be fixing a hell of a lot more." He said, taking the mugs as they were set on the bar. The wench's eyes grew wide and she backed off, her eyes following him as he walked back to the table. But her eyes weren't the only ones on him. As he slid the mug across the table to James, he noticed the commodore watching him intently as well.

"What? Something interesting?" He snapped. 

James continued to stare at him, deadpan. "You."

Will set his mug back down, staring him in the face. "And why is that?"

"You've changed so much from the Will Turner I remember." He said, scrutinizing him. Will suddenly looked uncomfortable, looking away. "And I'm not the only one who sees it."

Will stared at the table. "I had to change. I needed to survive." He said finally, tracing the rim of the mug with his finger. James felt sympathy for him.

"So you became a pirate."

"I was hung for being one. Can't exactly get any worse." Will looked up at him, guarded again. "And that's how I survived. It's all I know now."

_The crowds had dispersed from the square quickly, not wanting to look at the horrendous sight of the gallows anymore. James had taken __Elizabeth__ home. The whole ride there, she sobbed in his arms, increasing his guilt. Michael sat across from him, the governor beside him, rubbing the lad's back in comfort._

_The day was still overcast as a shadow moved from the alleyway, stealing across to the gallows. Behind him, two others came just behind him._

_"Oh God…" Anamaria covered her mouth, staring up at Will's body. "How could they do that to him?" She said quietly. She grasped Gibbs's arm tightly. That was what bothered Jack the most, watching her and Gibbs. Ana was a hard woman, never showed emotions. Now he had to turn away from her as a tear ran down her face. His crew had enjoyed having Will around. He'd had something about him that made him easy to get along with. Pulling the knife from its sheath, Jack motioned for Gibbs to boost him up, enough to cut the rope. The body dropped to the ground, raising a haze of dust. Jack got down, kneeling beside him. Just to check, he reached down and tried to find some sign of life, such as a pulse, or the sign of breath from his nose or mouth. Nothing. He pulled back blood stained fingers._

_"Pick him up." He muttered to the two behind him, getting to his feet. "We'll take him back to the ship, give him the burial proper of a pirate." Ana and Gibbs exchanged gazes before taking out the orders. Ana grabbed his arms and Gibbs grabbed his feet._

_They went back the way they'd come, an intricate maze of back alleys that took them out of sight of the citizens of __Port Royal__._

_Anamaria gasped, dropping Will's hands, and cursing as his head hit the ground. The sound of coughing reached his ears. "It's a bloody miracle." She whispered. Jack turned around._

_Will's coughing was harsh, as if his throat had been skinned with sandpaper. "__Elizabeth__…" The word was barely audible, as Jack got to his knees beside Will._

_"William."_

_"Jack?"_

_"Aye."_

_"Jack, my throat hurts." He said, coughing again. It burned to speak, to cough. Every time he did so, his eyes squeezed shut tighter. He didn't want to move, feeling so very weak._

_"Get him up. We have to get out of here." Jack said quickly. This time he helped Gibbs, and between the three of them, made it back to the ship._

_Cotton had turned out to be a more than adequate doctor, taking to caring for Will's wounded throat. The rope had dug in, tearing the skin up. There would most likely be a scar when it healed._

_Jack entered the room on the third day, to see how the blacksmith was doing. Inside, he'd found a changed man. Indifferent to the world around him, sarcastic, angry. It wasn't the same Will that he remembered at all. _

"It was Jack, wasn't it? He came to help, but got there too late." James's voice brought him out of his reverie. "They went to take you back to be buried, but something happened. You came back."

"Aye. All I remember was that I wasn't ready to die. Not yet. All I could see was Elizabeth's face, Emma's face." He stared at the mug.

"She's a beautiful girl, Will. You'd be proud. Looks just like you." He leaned against the table. "I've taken care of her like she was my own." The words, meant to be reassuring, cut him deeper. He hadn't been there for almost seven years of her life. She'd only been a few weeks old when he'd been hung. She wouldn't even remember him.

"She misses you too. I see it everyday. In her eyes, when she looks at Emma, when she looks at the horizon." 

Will got up, slamming his chair into the table and walking out of the tavern. James followed after him. "Was it something I said?" He called after Will.

"That's not my life anymore." Will told him, walking down the street with long strides.

"It is your life."

Will turned around, staring him down. "My life ended when I was hung. If you're looking for the blacksmith, he stayed dead." He growled. Norrington grabbed his arm, pulling him close so that the two of them were face to face.

"It still is your life. You saw what happened in my office. What if something happens to Elizabeth because of this? Enough lives have been lost or destroyed already." He snapped. Wondering if it was a trick of his mind, he saw a slight flicker of understanding before Will yanked his arm from his grip.

"Jack's death is just a screw up of your troops, that's all." He responded bitterly. 

"Jack wasn't the only one."

"What?"

"Will, Michael is dead." The pirate froze. Apparently it was new news to him.

"How?"

"He was taking care of Elizabeth and Emma after you were hung, for many months afterwards. One morning Elizabeth got up, and found that he'd been shot. Made to look like he'd done it himself." Will's eyes shut, mourning for his lost best friend, and for Elizabeth.

"Say there is some truth to your theory. Why haven't you gotten to the bottom of this by now, Commodore Norrington?" He replied snippily. James was beginning to wonder if there wasn't some truth to what Will had said moments ago, if his days of innocence were truly over.

"Because, Mr. Turner, I've been alone in this. One man versus how many are in on this. They've always remained one step ahead of me."

Will fell silent, mulling it all over. "It's captain."

"What?"

"It's Captain Turner, not Mr. Turner." He said quietly. "Jack left the Pearl to me when he died."

"Right." A silent lull fell between the two men as they walked. 

"I'll do it."

"Do what?"

"If it means Elizabeth is safe, I'll help you get to the bottom of whatever you think is going on." He crossed his arms. "But then I'm gone. You don't have to worry about me imposing on your marriage, or your relationship with your daughter."

"She's your daughter."

"Not anymore." 

"Damn it, Will, do you have any semblance of a heart left at all? You can't be that dead inside. You can't be that dead and still survive." The words had given the pirate pause. "At least stay the night at our house."

"I can't…" 

"You can stay in a guest room in the opposite wing of the house. They'll never know." Will looked back down the alley, and then at James. 

"Fine. But tomorrow night, I find my own lodgings."

"Agreed."


	5. Not So Dead

James had snuck Will in through the kitchen, taking him to a guest room upstairs. After explaining to him where the extra blankets and towels were, as well as the bathroom, he left to go back to Elizabeth. His words were still on Will's thoughts. He wasn't dead, just the opposite. It was pain that he felt, looking around and wondering what his life could have been. But he wasn't about to admit it. He'd quit admitting things a long time ago.

Getting up from the bed, he took his hat off, throwing it on the bed. Heading towards the bathroom, he pulled off his coat, his vest, his shirt, dumping them in piles on the floor. Someone had left a basin of warm water there for him, and he washed his face, his neck, feeling the warmth of it against his bare skin. Grabbing a towel, he stood upright, wiping his face. Catching sight of someone besides himself in the mirror. 

Will turned, regarding the newcomer. The little girl stared back at him. Wavy brown hair surrounded her face, eyes like chocolate taking him in. He knew exactly who she was. His little Emma had grown up.

"Hello." He leaned against the counter, crossing his arms. "Can I help you?"

She cocked her head, staring at him, hands clasped behind her back. "Who are you?"

"My name is Will." He smirked. "And what would you be called?"

"Emma." She scrutinized him. "Are you a pirate?"

He blinked. "Excuse me?" 

"A pirate." She bravely walked to him, reaching up and grabbing his wrist. He let her pull it down, flipping it over to reveal the 'P' branded on his skin. "You're a pirate."

He knelt down. "And aren't good little girls like you supposed to be scared of pirates?" He pointed behind her. "Could you get me that shirt?"

She did as she was told, coming back and handing it to him. "Yes, but I'm not." She told him, tracing the letter with a finger. "Mommy told me that there are good pirates too."

"Is that so? Well, what makes you think I'm one of these good pirates?" He asked, raising an eyebrow, but there was a gentle smile on his face. He pulled on his shirt, rolling up the sleeves to his elbows and buttoning it.

"Because you look like the one in Mommy's story." His smile faltered. "She told me a story about a young girl, who lived in a town, and she wanted adventure, but one day, she got kidnapped by pirates. But it had a happy ending, because she was rescued by a handsome young pirate who took her away and they lived happily ever after." She smiled at him. "It's my favorite." Will sat on the ground, feeling slightly surprised. It grew more when Emma crawled into his lap, sitting down. Her fingers moved up his arm to another tattoo. "That's pretty. I like swords." She told him proudly, tracing the tattoo just below the elbow, on the inside his arm.

"I like swords too." He told her, getting another smile from her. For a moment, he forgot that he this wasn't the life he was leading, that he was a father again, playing with his little girl. A rare, genuine smile crossed his face. This was what he'd missed for so long. 

"What is this?" Her hand wrapped around one of the dreadlocks.

"Hey." He chuckled, gently reaching up and pulling her hand from it. "That is a braid." 

She pointed to her twin braids. "Like these?"

"Aye, just like them." But her attention was already somewhere else.

"Do you have any interesting stories?" She looked up at him, lying against his chest.

"Stories? I might have a few stories…"

James was starting to panic. He's searched most of the house, with the help of the servants, for Emma. She'd disappeared completely, and with what had been going on as of late, he feared for her. Going off to the east wing, he went to Will's room, to get his help. He opened the door, and stopped, hearing laughter from the bathroom. From two people. He snuck over to the bathroom, looking in.

"So the brave pirate captain ran as fast as he could, while the big angry sheep followed right after him…" Emma's giggles filled the bathroom as Will told the story. James leaned against the doorframe, watching the two.

"That's a good story."

Will jumped slightly, craning his head around to see James standing there. "How long have you….?"

"Long enough." He crouched down. "You, young lady, have a bed time." He told her.

She looked up at him with big eyes. "Can't I stay with Will for a little bit longer?" She pleaded.

He gave her a stern, yet loving, look. "It's time for bed."

Will stood her upright. "You should listen to your father. How about this? If you go to bed, maybe I'll tell you another story later."

"Ok." She took off out of the bathroom, as Will got to his feet. The two men regarded each other for a few moments in silence.

"Looks like you're not as dead as you want us to think, Will." James said, before leaving the room, Will standing in the bathroom still, a strange expression on his face.


	6. Change of Plans

_Not dead yet._ The words haunted him as he lay on his back in the darkness, staring at the ceiling above him. Wasn't he? Sleep and food were meaningless to him, and he never really felt anymore. He was nothing like the man he had once been. What he'd give to be that man again.

Thoughts tumbled over and over in his head, mostly the events that James had described to him earlier. The multiple attacks on the commodore himself, Michael's suspicious death, the mysterious witness that had accused him of piracy and sent him to his death, the disappearance of any papers related to his crime and punishment, and Jack's death. He hated to admit it, but something reeked of more than dissension among the ranks there. Something more to it. But what was it? The thought plagued him, as he slowly slipped into an unconscious dream state.

_"Jack? JACK!" Will's heartbeat sped up as he heard the voices coming from down the street. What the hell was the British Navy doing in __Tortuga_? It was a sanctuary city, not under the rule of the ___British Empire_ and not subjected to its rule. They couldn't be here, but they were. And looking for Jack. Sprinting down the alleyway, he turned the corner sharply, coming out into the street. He had to shove his way through the chaos that was ___Tortuga__, shoving wenches and their clients from his path._

_Jack appeared in his sight, and he pushed towards him. As soon as they got close, Jack grabbed the arm of Will's coat, yanking him up onto the sidewalk._

_"Listen, we have to get out of here, now." Will said, eyes pleading with Jack._

_"They can't do anythin' to me here, mate. Besides, I get captured, I escape again, savvy?" He told him, a cocky grin crossing his face. Will didn't share his sentiment as he followed along behind Jack as they wove their way back to the tavern._

_"Besides, how are they goin' to find one pirate amon…" Jack stopped suddenly, his body rigid._

_"Jack?" Will looked over at him. "What's wrong?" Jack toppled forward into his arms and Will crashed to the ground. "What the…" His eyes fell on the wound right between Jack's shoulders, and then he looked up. The redcoat smirked at him, reholstering the pistol at his side and disappearing among the wenches and drunkards again._

_"Jack, no!" Will turned him on his side, ripping the hem fabric of Jack's shirt into shreds and holding it against the gunshot wound. But it was coming too fast for him to stop. Most likely an artery had been hit. Jack shivered._

_"Cold." He muttered. Will pulled off his coat, draping it over Jack._

_"Stay with me, Jack. You've had worse than this." He told him, but Jack just grinned._

_"The Grim Reaper has always been the one I couldn't escape, Will." He said, his voice dying out. "The __Pearl__ is yours. Take good care of her for me, savvy?"_

_"You can take care of her, Jack, not me. I'm not a captain."_

_"Consider this a crash course in learning." He tried to laugh, but it only put him in more pain._

_"This is ridiculous. Everything's going to be….Jack….JACK!"_

Will sat upright in bed, dagger ready to slash at anything that moved. It was a habit, learning to watch his own back. He lowered the weapon to his side, wiping away the cold sweat from his forehead. When he least expected it, the memories weaved themselves into his dreams. They were as vivid as ever, the sights, the sounds, the smells. The warm blood rushing over his hands as he tried to staunch the wound. 

James hadn't been wrong when he'd said that Will didn't even resemble the Will Turner of seven years ago. He was a fallen man, a pirate by no choice of his. He got off the bed, wandering over to the open courtyard doors that led out onto the balcony. The moon had risen high in the sky, shedding light over most of the gardens behind the house. He leaned against the balcony, trying to calm his rapid heartbeat from the nightmare.

Below him, the shadows moved. He crouched down, peering between the rails and watching as five men appeared from the shadows in the garden. Undistinguishable from each other, all wearing black and hats pulled low over their faces. He was pretty sure that they weren't here to have tea with the governor. 

Turning, he crept back into his room, dressing quickly and strapping on his sword and pistol. He opened the door quietly, peering out into the darkness. Nothing moved. He closed the door quietly behind him, treading along the hallway, taking the twists and turns from when James had showed him the way, which brought him close to the staircase. One look over assured him that they were not in the foyer, and he descended the stairs. The gardens, if he remembered correctly, led into the kitchen, so he headed there. There was a light on in there, which made him hesitate. What if Elizabeth was in there as well? Or Emma? Steeling himself, he pushed open the door, pistol out and cocked.

And nearly giving James a heart attack. The commodore raised both hands quickly, slopping water from the glass he was holding onto his shirt. "What in the bloody hell do you think you're doing?" He hissed.

"There are people in the house. Five of them, and I really don't think they're friends of yours." Will whispered back. Outside, a creek of a door broke the late night silence. "And I think I just found them." 

"I'm going with you. In fact, let me go first. The last thing we need is you scaring the hell out of the governor or one of the servants." Will crossed his arms.

"You're unarmed." James solved the problem in a moment, grabbing the second pistol from Will's belt and cocking it.

"Let's go." As he made his way out the door, he missed Will rolling his eyes, following behind him. "We can start with the study. That door creeks the loudest of them all." The two men crept across the foyer, hesitating anytime they thought they saw a shadow move or heard a sound. Placing a hand on the door, James looked back at Will. "Stay behind me…."

The scene that greeted them was the most horrific yet. The five men, all rough looking, barely indistinguishable from one another, glanced up from where they surrounded the governor. It was too late to save him, already poised to look like the murder had been a suicide.

"You bastards!" Will shouted, launching himself at the closest of the men, pistol all but forgotten in his hand. The man he was lunging for knocked it away, sending it skittering under the chair as Will rammed into him, sending him into the wall. James took aim at the one farthest away, but as he pulled the trigger, one of the attackers slammed into him, throwing his aim off and shooting the Ming vase instead.

Upstairs, Elizabeth woke as the sound of a pistol shot echoed through the house. She rolled over, finding James missing. "No…" She whispered, getting out of bed quickly and grabbing her overcoat as she ran for the door. Outside the room, she padded down the hallways, praying that he was alright. She couldn't lose another person in her life.

The courtyard doors burst open, throwing Will and his attacker onto the ground outside. The man's hands slipped around the pirate's throat, cutting off his air. Not feeling guilty about playing dirty, Will rammed his knee into the man's gonads, getting a temporary respite from the battle. His knee moved farther up, digging into his stomach enough to give him the leverage to throw him over his head as he rolled. He twisted around, getting to his feet. But there was no one there. All five had disappeared. Whoever they were, they were professionals. He cursed, heading back to the house and entering in to find James on his knees, attempting to try and revive the governor.

"James, he's gone." Will said quietly, standing by the doorway. "He never had a…." The doors that they had entered only moments ago swung open, and Elizabeth cried out. Will knew immediately what her reaction to the tableau would be. The position James was in made him look to be the murderer, not the man who had just tried to save his life. Her eyes widened, and she backed up into the wall.

"How could you?" She whispered.

"Elizabeth, I would never…."

"I trusted you!" She shouted back at him. "I loved you, and then you turn around and do this. What, did you get sick of waiting for the inheritance that was coming to us, so you felt you had to hurry him along?" James's eyes went to Will for a second, and Elizabeth's followed. She didn't recognize him, the brim of the hat pulled low over his features. 

"You're in league…with pirates?" She whispered. James held up his hands.

"Elizabeth, I never…I didn't…there were men in here, five of them." He started towards her. She stooped on the ground, pulling Will's pistol from out under the chair.

"Don't take another step." She said, menace in her voice.

"Elizabeth…"

"Don't. I don't want to hear it." She pointed towards the door where Will stood. "Leave now. I never want to see your face again." 

"James…" Will cautioned him when the commodore looked like he was going to try and convince her. Elizabeth looked towards him, and for a moment, he thought that she recognized him. But it must have been all in his mind, because the look she gave him was one of pure hatred. James looked at Elizabeth, and then reluctantly followed Will from the house.

"I'm a wanted man." He said, as they wound their way through the underbrush along the roadside, staying out of sight.

"So how does it feel to be on the other side of the law for once?" Will asked, his voice emotionless.

"Why didn't you say anything? Why didn't you tell her who you were? She might have believed us, if you…" Will turned on him.

"You're asking why I didn't tell her that her first husband is back from the dead in addition to her father being dead?" He said, staring him down. "It wasn't the opportune moment. Right now, we have bigger problems on our hands." He continued walking. "Those men who are responsible, they're professionals, most likely mercenaries. They can be bought for the right price. So if your theory has some credence to it, then our mastermind has connections and money. That's a lethal combination."

"That could be a number of people in Port Royal. And that's never going to clear me either."

"We'll get to the bottom of this, which will clear you. One step at a time or we'll find ourselves in a bigger mess then what we began with." He pushed the thoughts of seeing Elizabeth to the back of his mind, to nag his subconscious while he concentrated on their problem. 


	7. Parting Ways

The early morning light hit James in the face, making him roll over. Underneath him, leaves crackled, making him open his eyes. Will sat a few feet away, stirring the ashes of the fire with a stick. He sat up, rubbing his eyes. 

"Morning." Will muttered, not looking up.

"Did you sleep at all?" Will shook his head, still not uttering a word. "Aren't you a talkative one?" James grumbled, moving over to sit across the fire from Will. 

"Not much to talk about." He said. 

"Right." He ran his hands through his graying hair, brushing out the leaves and twigs.

"I was thinking." After an extended moment of silence, Will spoke up.

"Oh?" James shook out his jacket. "And what would that be about?"

"What you said before. About the suspicions this whole thing raises." He looked up.

"Gee, and it only took you the governor's death and my new found exile to make you realize that." James snapped. Sleeping out in the woods, trying to avoid the Navy that had once been under his command only the day before, had made him less than charitable in mood. To his surprise, Will smirked slightly.

"Aye, maybe." He replied wryly. "But, if you don't want to hear what I have to say…." He looked back down at the fire.

"Since when the hell did you have a sense of humor?" James said, leaning back against the tree behind him. "I'm sorry. This whole thing is frustrating and you not being Mr. Stoic for once has thrown me off a little. So just tell me what the hell you have to say."

The smirk faded. "Elizabeth."

"What? I thought you had something relevant to what's going on."

"I do. Elizabeth's the connection." James sat up straight, looking the pirate straight in the face.

"How?"

"Well, let's start with the most obvious. Me. Mysterious witness who never appears at my trial blames me for piracy, which leads to my death. That puts me, Elizabeth's first husband, out of the picture. Erase anything that would have aroused suspicion, trial papers, death order, everything." He stood up, pacing between two trees. "Then we have Michael, he dies suddenly of suicide after taking in Elizabeth and Emma for a few months. Chances are he was getting close to her as well. Then we have Jack, who was checking up on Elizabeth every once in a while for me. Mysteriously shot by a so called member of the British Navy. Governor Swann, Elizabeth's father, but I'm not sure why he would be targeted other than Elizabeth finally getting her inheritance. And then there's you. Multiple attacks on your life. Someone wants you dead, or would of if you hadn't been found at the crime scene of the governor, which, if your caught and found guilty, means death." He stopped, hands behind his back.

"You actually said more than one sentence." James said. Will shot him a dark look, crossing his arms. "Alright, alright…" He got to his feet. "It sounds completely plausible, but that doesn't bring us any closer to who's doing it and why."

"Well, maybe you could help." Will said.

"Excuse me for not being a sullen pirate captain who has too much time to think on his hands. If you haven't noticed, I'm a wanted fugitive now."

"And I'm supposed to be dead." Will snapped, standing face to face with Norrington. "The only reason they aren't after me is because I should have stayed dead seven of years ago. Get over it." 

"I'm trying. It's a little hard."

"Welcome to my world." James broke away from the lock of wills first, looking out through the trees over the horizon. 

"Alright. So we have the connection, but we still need more to go on. What do we do?" James muttered, pulling on his coat.

"We don't do anything. You'll stay here, keep a low profile, while I go back to Tortuga and talk to Giselle." Will caught the commodore's look. "She witnessed Jack being shot, saw the whole thing. I want to here her version of it. Might have been something I didn't see."

"How do I know you aren't just leaving?" James responded, crossing his arms. "Like you said, you are a changed man. You're a pirate now. Why should I trust your word?"

"Because I'm not doing this for you. I'm doing it for Emma, for Elizabeth." He said finally, sliding the pistol back in his belt and picking up his sword.

"How long?" James asked as they walked through the woods. 

"Only a few days. Three at the most. Stick to the bad parts of town. Might be able to find a cheap tavern or inn to stay in. Stay there till I come back, got it?" James nodded. 

"Yeah, I can do that." They reached the pathway down into the section Will had been talking about. They regarded each other for a moment.

"Stay safe, James." Will said, holding out his hand. James grasped it, shaking it.

"You too, Will." He said with a slight smile, turning and heading into town. Will went in the opposite direction, following the pathway to the smuggler's bay where the Pearl was anchored.


	8. Crime Scenes

The Pearl had reached Tortuga by nightfall. The town was a chaotic mess as usual, as Will weaved his way through the masses. Hands buried in his coat pockets, head down, hat pulled low, he tried to stay beneath notice. The last thing he needed was to let it be known that he was here and looking for answers. Pushing open the door of the Dark Horse Tavern, he entered the warm room, looking around. Giselle's usual place of business. But he could see nothing of the buxomy blond anywhere.

He wove his way to the bar, leaning over it. "'Ey, Scarlet…." He motioned to her. The red head shot a glance over her shoulder, then motioned him into the kitchen. He walked around the bar, pushing open the doors and entering, where she stood, arms crossed and looking nervous.

"Have you seen…?"

"Not since yesterday. I'm worried." Scarlet said quickly. "There've been strange men around, Turner. I see 'em, comin' in here, lookin' like they're waitin' for someone. Giselle seen 'em to." She rubbed her bare arms. "She didn't come in this mornin' and I've seen hide nor hair of her, but the boss won't let me go check on 'er." 

Will watched her nervous motions, the pacing, rubbing her own arms, and she wouldn't meet his gaze.

"I'll go check on her, if you'd like." Scarlet spun, grabbing his hand between hers.

"Would you? Bless yer heart, Will." She said, her eyes lighting up. She was truly concerned about her friend.

"Aye, I need to talk to her anyway."

Scarlett nodded. "Assumed you'd be involved in this somehow. Her room is at the brothel on Oak Street. Up the stairs, and three doors down on your right."

"Thanks. Much appreciated." He told her, slipping his hand from hers and walking out the door.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Madame Dorian's was one of the finest wench houses in the city, and on a night like that one, it was crowded, as usual. Men sat around, a wench on their knee and a mug in their hand, sharing sea stories and laughing at each other. 

Will wove his way directly to the stairs, pushing past more than a few temporary couples heading to the bedrooms. At the third door to his right, he stopped. There was silence in the room when he knocked. He knocked again, and still didn't get an answer. Twisting the knob, he found it was locked. Hoping Giselle would forgive him, he got down on his knees, picking the lock.

The door swung open as he got to his feet. Except for one sputtering candle, the room was completely dark. He saw a dark shadow sitting in the corner, rocking back and forth.

"Giselle?" The shadow moved, a whimper emitting. "Giselle, are you ok?" He approached the woman, crouching down in front of her.

She looked up at him. Her hair was matted down, face wet from running tears. In the little light provided, her complexion was waxy and pale. One arm was curled around her legs, while the other reached out for him. He took it in his, and she got up, crawling into his arms. He froze, not knowing what to do, but it seemed all she was asking for was to be held. In the movement, his hand brushed her belly, and he was surprised to find a bump there.

"They told me….they told me that if I spoke one word to you, they'd kill it…." She sobbed against his chest. "They came in here and was demandin' to know where I was, and Madame Dorian told 'em, so they come up to my room and start wavin' a pistol in my face." He rubbed her back, sitting down on the floor. "Said that I saw nothin' the night Jack got shot." She broke out in fresh tears.

"Gis, who were they going to kill?"

"My baby." She said quietly, rubbing her stomach. This was new to him. She most definitely had not been pregnant the last time he was here. "I can't say anythin'. I don't want them to harm my baby." She whispered.

"Giselle, they're not here, they won't…"

"They'll find out. They always find out." She curled up in his arms. "Please….just stay with me."

They were silent for a while, before Will needed to clarify something. "You said they'd kill the baby if you spoke to me? Did they mean me specifically?"

She sat up, looking at him. "Their exact words were 'If Captain Turner comes pokin' around here, you won't be tellin' him a single word unless you want me emptyin' my pistol into that expandin' stomach of yours, hear?'" She shivered.

"Damn it." There went one of their advantages. As long as everyone thought he was dead, he was free to come and go as he pleased, but now that someone knew he was alive, he'd have to watch his own back as well. 

Standing up, he helped her stand as well, moving her to the bed. She climbed in, resting her head on her arm as he pulled the covers up and over her. She murmured a word of thanks as he slipped out the door.

Suddenly all the patrons of the tavern were suspicious to him. Any one of them could be the mole. _You can always trust a dishonest man to be dishonest, honestly._ Jack's words echoed in his head as he made his way downstairs.

The movement in his peripheral vision was all he had of a warning. Will ducked, the sword swinging over his head and lodging itself into the wall. He brought his elbow up into the ribs of the attacker, satisfied to hear something crack. The man grabbed his coat collar, slamming him against the stairway. Black spots danced in his vision, and he rolled as the sword came down again, this time burying itself in the steps. He stood up, swinging his right fist and connecting on the attacker's chin. The man's knee went up into his stomach. It knocked the wind out of him, just long enough to be thrown into a table a foot away. All bets were off. The brothel erupted in a flurry of cursing and fists, everyone for themselves. Will jumped up from the table, catching his attacker in the stomach. Both men crashed through the side door out into the alleyway, landing on the cobbled streets. They climbed to their feet, Will's sword drawn and pointed at his attacker, the other man holding his pistol, arms up.

"Who the hell are you people?" Will growled, approaching slowly. The man smirked, stepping back.

"None of your concern." He responded lightly. "You'll never get anything out of me."

"So you do know something." The grin that crossed Will's face was vicious. "You don't know how persuasive I can be."

The man moved fast, taking him by surprise. He pointed the pistol at his own head and pulled the trigger. Will froze, watching the body fall to the ground. His lead was gone, just like that.

Swearing, he sheathed the sword, kneeling down beside the body. He checked all the pockets, looking for anything that might give him what kind of an idea he was up against. As he reached into the man's coat to search the interior pockets, a glint caught his eye, just a small bit of something poking out from underneath the collar of his shirt. He pulled back the collar, looking down at the necklace. Swearing, he yanked it off the body and stuffed it in his pocket, along with the change purse and a dagger he'd found. Hell, this guy was dead, he wasn't going to use them. Standing up, he strode from the alley, intent on getting back to the Pearl. He wasn't going to get much else here.


	9. Connections

James had followed Will's advice, finding himself a little hole-in-the-wall inn. The room was sparse, with nothing but a bed, a bed side table, and a chair.  The first day he'd stayed in the main area of the inn, watching people go in and out, looking for anyone who could be regarded as suspicious. But he soon gave up. A place with that kind of disreputation attracted many suspicious characters, and he couldn't tell if any were looking for him. At any rate, he kept his head down in one of the back booths. His only entertainment was a thick Shakespeare book he found propping up a table in the main bar. When no one was looking, he'd taken it and was about halfway through. The nights were long, and he could find no sleep, jumping at any noises that sounded in the silence. 

The second night was no exception. He stood at the window, leaning up against the window frame, and a mug of ale in his hand. Very few people were out in the streets, dodging out of the rain that had started coming down. He turned from the window, thinking about delving into the book again when he was hit from behind. The candle went out as his head hit the bedside table, falling off the table top. Cold fingers slid around his throat, cutting off his air. He grabbed the figure at the wrists, pulling the attacker's hands away. He could only see his outline in the darkness.

James swung up with a closed fist, landing a blow across the attacker's temple. The man grunted, his fingers loosening just enough for Norrington to roll from out underneath him. When he got to his feet, he looked around. There was silence in the room again. He grabbed the thick book, wielding it over his shoulder. "I know you're still in here." He whispered. "You didn't leave." The glint of silver beside him alerted him to  movement, and he swung out, connecting. The person yelled out, cursing.

He threw open the door, backing out slowly. The halls were just as dark, most of the people in their rooms already. All he could think of was getting somewhere with people, somewhere public where he couldn't be attacked. He dropped the book, waiting for an attack to come. He didn't have to wait long as he was attacked from behind. Twisting around, he fell, rolling backwards and throwing him over his shoulder. He was rewarded with a large thump in that direction. Scrambling to his feet, he crawled over, pinning the man down as he struggled. "Who are you?" He spat, holding him down.

The man only grunted in response. He couldn't see in the dark, which means threatening was harder.

The back of his neck tingled as he felt someone come up behind him. One foot lashed out, catching the second person in the stomach and sending him crashing into the wall. He was fastly getting outnumbered. The second attacker was climbing to his feet as James got to his feet as well, giving the man at his feet one last hit across the face. He staggered down the hallway when the second attacker grabbed his shoulder. He spun, grabbing him by the throat and pinning him to the wall.

"Stop." The attacker grunted, and James pulled back.

"Will?"

"Yes, Will." He rubbed his throat. "Thanks for the warm homecoming." He shot James a dark look through the dark, then turned, motioning down the hallway. "Let's go talk to our friend there. Looks like we got our first break."

The two men walked back down the hallway. Will knelt beside the attacker, shaking him. "Hey, wake up." There was a groan, and he looked up at James. "Help me get him into the room." Between the two of them, they dragged him into the room, throwing him in the chair. James ripped up the bed sheets, tying the attacker's hands behind his back as Will tied his feet to the legs of the chair.

"I'll never talk." He said groggily, looking up at them. James lit the candle, shedding light on the room. The man they'd caught was shorter than them and muscular. He stared up at them, an indifferent look on his face.

"You'll talk. It's just how you're going to talk that is still undecided." Will told him. There was no flicker of fear in the man's face. The pirate stared back with equal indifference. James stood in the background.

"Look, we already know that you…" He reached down, pulling the chain from around the man's neck. He held it up. "…are a mercenary. Most likely Ghost's crew." He pulled the second necklace from his belt, holding it up. It was identical to the first. "My question is…who hired you?"

"No one."

"Yeah, you just decided to go after some small town commodore and a pirate." Will said sarcastically. He got a defiant stare back. "Right, so you're not going to talk." He knelt down behind the man's back. "What's your name?"

"What?" He asked in shock, turning around to look at Will.

"Your name, what is it?"

"Marco."

"Marco, eh? You know who I am?" Marco grunted, shutting up.

"Right." Will grabbed ahold of one of his fingers, pulling upright. James winced at the crack that came next. Marco bit down on his lip, but didn't cry out. "Still got nine more to go, or you can tell me what you know."

"Will, is this really necessary?" James asked, his face slightly pale. The scene before him was disturbing.

"Up to you, Marco." He wrapped his fingers around another of Marco's and jerked it slightly when the mercenary opened up. 

"Will Turner, your names Will Turner." He blurted. "His names James Norrington." Will let go of his finger. 

"Now we're getting somewhere. Who sent you?" He sat on the end of the bed, hands on his knees.

"I'll never tell that." Marco spat on the floor at Will's feet. "Dirty pirate."

"Right, and mercenary is so much better." James muttered. Both the pirate and mercenary looked up at him in shock, then back at each other.

"He's got a point." Will said, smirking. Marco rolled his eyes. "Well, if you won't tell us willingly, I'll…" He got up from his seat, walking towards Marco.

"Look, I got nothing to tell you. We get our assignments through Ghost, and he just refers to the guy who hired us as Boss. He promised to pay us after the job was done." Marco sat back in his seat, looking at the two of them.

"Well, I'm starting to make sense of things." James said. "That's why Governor Swann's dead. Whoever's after Elizabeth needs the inheritance to pay his debts." Will stood up. 

"I guess something's better than nothing." He muttered, before turning to Marco. "We're going to leave you here, alert the authorities, and you can talk it over with them." He smirked. "Have fun."

The two left the room, heading down stairs. "So what we've got is this person is targeting those around Elizabeth, and he has some kind of connection, power of some sort, but not a lot of money. Looks like we've got our work cut out for us." Will said.

"Let's get to it."


	10. Twist in the Plans

"Will?"  
  
"Yeah." The pirate turned to regard him as the two men walked down the dark street, trying to remain as incospicious as possible.   
  
"We should have turned him over ourselves. He's going to get loose." James muttered, looking behind him. To his suprised, Will smirked.  
  
"That's the plan." James grabbed his arm, bringing them both to a stop.  
  
"What?" Will looked both ways down the street, pulling James into the alleyway, before speaking.   
  
"Look, we need him to escape. I wanted him to go back to Ghost and tell him that we know about what's going on. Ghost may be vicious, but he isn't the brightest. Marco's going to tell him what he told us, and he'll assume it was nothing much, but he'll want to tell his employer anyway, who most likely is smarter than him."  
  
"What does that have to do with anything? All they'll know is that we're going to be easier to find now." James said, crossing his arms.  
  
"Or it's going to be easier for us to expose them." Will responded. "Whoever this is is going to start acting odd, more wary, and they're going to be looking for us."  
  
"So wait, we're using ourselves as bait to bring this...I hate to say it, but mastermind...out of hiding?"  
  
"Aye, that would be the plan." James leaned against the wall, thinking this over.  
  
"Would have been nice to know before hand." He said finally.  
  
"Then you wouldn't have acted as well as you did."  
  
"That wasn't acting. I didn't know what the hell was going on."  
  
"And it worked to our advantage. As we speak, Marco is most likely scurrying back to Ghost to tell him that Will Turner is definetly alive, and that James Norrington is still in Port Royal." Will looked thoughtful, and in that moment, James saw some shades of the blacksmith he used to know. He started pacing in the alleyway, looking at James. "DId you notice any of your men acting weird before this took place?"  
  
James frowned. "One of my men? You think it might be them?" He thought back. "None of them, none more stranger than usual." He was silent for a moment. "Now you've got me paranoid."  
  
"Like you're not now? You're a wanted man in the company of a pirate, James. If they catch you, it won't go well. For either of us." He muttered.   
  
"So what do we do now?"  
  
"We have to wait. Find somewhere to lay low and watch the chain reaction. That's where my plan slightly fell apart. I can't think of any way to get close without being seen." There was a rumbling sound, and Will shifted slightly. James smirked.  
  
"Hungry?"  
  
Will nodded. "Aye, haven't really ate since I left here." He said. "Be nice to eat something." The two men looked around.   
  
"Is there somewhere to eat around here that's more low key?" James said finally. Will chuckled.  
  
"More low key than the scum pits?" James had to laugh at that.  
  
"I guess we couldn't get any lower, could we?" He said finally.  
  
"Oh, we could get a lot lower." Will responded, a tired look on his face, the smile disappearing. "A lot lower."


	11. Fallen Ally

After walking for what seemed most of the night, the two men finally found a lowly tavern, situated in a corner of an alley, beyond the notice of many. Inside, loose women roamed around, offering up a good time for anyone who could pay the price. Men drank heavily, gambled, cussed, and threatened to kill one another for the slightest afront.  
  
"Must feel like home to you." James said, crossing his arms in front of him, suddenly uncomfortable with the stares he was receiving. Not many recognized him out of uniform and without the wig, but it was obvious they knew that he wasn't one of them.  
  
"You're funny." Will said, rolling his eyes. "Just stay close or you'll be jumped. You give off that 'I've got a full coin purse' vibe." He started walking towards the back of the tavern, ignoring the stares that came his way. He slid into a booth, James sitting across from him. From the front door, it'd be harder to spot them from all the way across the smoky interior of the tavern. A world weary woman came up to them, hands on her hips.   
  
"What do ya want?" She said, a certain impatience in her voice.   
  
"What's on the fire tonight?" Will asked.  
  
"Chicken." She snipped. Will looked towards James, who shrugged.  
  
"Aye, we'll take the chicken and two rums." With a sigh, she stomped off to go deliver the order. Will was pretty sure that she wouldn't even get half of it right.  
  
"Rum? There's no rum in Port Royal." James said suddenly. "It was banned and it's extremely hard to smuggle in here, if there were even any smugglers left at all. " Will raised an eyebrow.  
  
"James, we wandered into Docktown a good time ago. You're not in Port Royal territory or jurisdiction anymore." James frowned. "It's pretty hard to tell the difference between down and out Port Royal, and Docktown. The only true difference is I tend to see a lot more people I know on this side of the line." The waitress returned, plopping down the two mugs, and then the plate with the turkey on it.  
  
James looked down at his plate. "You know, I'm not that picky, but not even I want to eat that." He muttered, prodding at the cooked bird. Even Will, who was used to food on a pirate ship, was giving the shriveled up, dark chicken a dubious look.   
  
"Well, maybe it's not as bad as it looks." He said finally, reaching out and grabbing a leg, twisting it off. With one look at James, he sunk his teeth into the meat, pulling off a hunk and chewing. James watched him intently.  
  
"How is it?"   
  
Will made a face. "It makes me reminisce about moldy bread back on the ship." He said, and picked up the mug, taking a deep drink. James chuckled, pushing his mug towards Will as well. Rum wasn't among his tastes. He raised an eyebrow as Will took another bite.  
  
"You must be starving." He said finally, watching the ex-blacksmith make another face. Will was about to respond when the door flew open, and a boy of no more than twelve, most likely a pickpocket, came flying into the tavern.  
  
"The Navy!" He shouted breathlessly. "The Navy's entered Docktown!" Chaos broke out in the tavern as men fought to leave the tavern first, not willing to get caught.  
  
James looked at the boy, then back. "First Tortuga, then Docktown." He muttered. "This isn't some random patrol. They're looking for something or someone."  
  
"And most likely that someone is the two of us." Will snapped, pulling his coat back on. "Which is why we split up."  
  
"What?" James face showed his shock. "Are you daft?"  
  
"Like Jack." Will shot back. "There's two of us. If we split up and one of us gets caught, the hope still lies with the other, got it?" Reluctantly, James nodded. Will extended his hand. "May luck be with you, James, if we don't meet again."  
  
James shook his hand. "As with you, Will." He watched as the pirate disappeared into the panicking crowds, then turned to find his way out.  
  
  
Will finally got out of the crushes, out into the streets. True to the boy's words, marching could be heard from a few streets over. The sound was eerie in the foggy night, and Will suddenly felt very light headed, not knowing in what direction he was headed for. But he ran anyway. He ran for what seemed like minutes, but in all actuality, was a good amount of distance. Coming to a stop in an alleyway, he leaned against the side of the building, breathing deeply. He hated running away, but he was far too outnumbered to do anything else. His breathing normal, he looked out into the street, watching for troops. Empty. Venturing out into the street, he looked over his shoulder, watching his back.   
  
Then the next thing he knew, fiery pain spread up his side, and his hand went to the vest, pulling it open to watch as dark red blood spilled out from the side of his stomach, turning the white shirt red. "What..." His kness buckled, and he dropped to them on the ground, wincing in pain, his arm pressing against the wound. Around him, the streets fell silent again.  
  
  
  
James ran as well, finding his way back to the bad part of Port Royal as well. Familiar territory for him, more likely to find a place to hide. With his sleeve, he wiped the sheen of sweat from his forehead, coming to a stop to take a rest. The streets were empty, quiet. He stood there for a moment, eyes closed, listening hard, but the sounds of marching or running did not reach his ears.  
  
He sat down, back against the building. In only a week, he'd gone from well respected commodore, to wanted man. And to boot, he was completely innocent, just wanting to protect his wife. He stared at the walk, shrouded in the late night mists as well.   
  
Climbing to his feet, he was about to take off running again when the sound of a pistol discharging rang through the night, very close. He started to jog down the street, away from the shot, when the part of him that would let no good man down kicked in, and he turned in that direction. Crossing through the alley, he came out onto the street where he had guessed the shot had come from. Hard to tell in the fog. Straining to see, he squinted into the grey mist floating around. A dark figure laying on the street caught his attention.  
  
"Sir, are you....damn it!" He got down on his knees beside Will. He shook the younger man. "Will?"  
  
"What?" The pirate blinked, as if he was drunk. Nearly the entire right side of his shirt was covered in blood, and as he moved slightly, pain tore through him again. "Pain...."  
  
"I know, we've got to get you out of here."  
  
"There's someone out there, get out of here, before he gets you..."  
  
"Will, just shut up. I'm going to...."   
  
The last thing Will remembered before passing out from the pain was the sound of a pistol in the dark, and something heavy falling on top of him, the awkward position tearing the bullet hold more. New, more intense pain spread through his body before he succumbed to the encroaching darkness.  
  
  
She hated walking these streets late at night, wanted to live somewhere better than this, but the money she received from her job as a servant could not support both a nicer house for herself and her five brothers. Pushing the thought from her mind, she wrapped her shawl tighter around her shoulders, feeling the cold fingers of the mist crawling up her back.  
  
Down the street, she saw an odd lump in the middle of the street. She slowed down, approaching them carefully. It wasn't like her to leave a person helpless, if that was what it was, but she didn't want to be caught in some kind of thief's trap either. As she came closer, she realized it was two men. One was slumped over on top of the other, who was laying prone on the ground. And there was so much blood.   
  
Rushing over, she dropped to her knees beside them. She went for the man on top first. But he was already gone, shot in the chest. And it didn't look good for the man beneath him either, so still, but she went to check anyway.   
  
She jerked her hand back when he let out a small mumble. Sweat beaded up on his forehead, and his fingers twitched slightly. Pushing the dead man off of him, gently, as if in respect for the dead as well, she pulled back the side of the injured man's coat and vest slowly. She bit her lip.   
  
The wound looked grievous, but she had to try something. 


	12. Fighting for Life

Alex Smith was setting the table while his older brother Thomas stirred the soup on top of the stove. Their big sister would be home from work anytime soon, and they wanted to have dinner ready for her. She was always so tired, and since she did it for them, they thought it would be nice to help her. Thomas leaned forward, looking at the concoction in the pot, stirring it.   
  
"I think it looks ok." He muttered, looking down upon the murky liquid that was suppoused to look like chicken soup. Alex got underneath his arm, peering in as well.   
  
"It looks kind of gross." Alex said, cocking his head. "Like the wash water after Estrella gets done with the clothes." Thomas gently cuffed Alex in the head.   
  
"I'd like to see you do better." He teased. They both turned as they heard the door open, watching as it slammed into the wall. Estrella came through, dragging a man who looked badly injured. Alex's eyes traveled down, seeing the bright red bloodstain underneath his open coat and vest. Thomas got down off the stool, going to his sister.  
  
"Estrella..." He pointed at the man. "Who is that?" Estrella shook her head, tired from having to lug the man's deadweight to the house. She blew a dark curl out of her face. Luckily, he didn't weigh all that much or she wouldn't have been able to bring him this far.  
  
"Thomas, get me some hot water and rags, a candle and one of the knives. Alex, I need my sewing kit." She told them, dragging the man into the backroom, laying him on a cot. He'd gotten worse between the time she'd found him, and now. Grabbing his arm, she rolled him slightly, trying to tug off his coat. He murmured something, reminding her of a man fallen to fever. Sweat glistened on his face, yet he was cold to the touch, and was barely cognizant of anything around him.   
  
Alex and Thomas came in as soon as she had gotten the coat off, throwing it on the floor. Estrella looked to them. "I'm going to need some help, ok..." She trailed off, seeing the weapons revealed. A brace of pistols, as well as a sword, and she could see just the slightest hint of a dagger sheath beneath him, attached to the back of his belt.   
  
Thomas's eyes grew larger, and he pointed. "'Ella, look!" He said. She turned towards him, frowning. The boy went past her, grabbing the man's limp arm that hung over the side of the cot, holding it up. A gasp escaped her as she stared at the 'P' branded into his skin. She'd brought home a pirate. But even that couldn't change her mind, her good naturdness not allowing her to let him suffer for what he was. She stepped forward, unbuckling his belt and pulling it out from beneath him.   
  
"Thomas, go hide these. Hide them well." She told him, sending him off. Alex stood by the doorway, a mix of fear and curiosity on his face. Estrella motioned to him. "Bring the candle here so that I can see what I'm doing." The little boy nodded, coming closer. The candle lit up the corner, chasing the shadows away, and Estrella had her second shock of the night. In the dark of the night, she hadn't been able to clearly see the facial features of either man, but now that she could, she was shocked. Alex looked over at her.   
  
"What is it?" She shook her head, unable to speak. William Turner was dead. She'd been at the hanging, and had comforted Elizabeth many a lonely night up at the mansion when she was working. But yet, here he lay before her, standing on the brink of death.  
  
"It's nothing, Alex. Hand me that knife." He did as he was told, and she ran it through the flame, to sanitize it. "I want you to close your eyes now, ok?" When he had done so, she placed the tip of the blade on the pirate's stomach, drawing it down just a tiny bit, to better extract the bullet from his side. The smell of burned skin came to her, and she fought not to gag. With two fingers, she dug into the hole. His back arched, mouth opening in a silent cry of pain, and she felt bad, but it was the only way to get the pistol shot out. After a few seconds, she dropped it on the bedside table. "Bring me the kit." She told Thomas, who had returned from hiding the weaponry. He brought if forward tenativly.  
  
"El...Elizabeth..." Estrella looked over at the pirate, and she knew. Somehow Will Turner had escaped fate and returned to Port Royal. She bit her lip, watching him for a moment, before pulling a needle and some coarse thread out of the basket. Threading it, she stood over him for a moment, before slowly sliding it into his skin. He let out another pained grunt, and she winced. He was still concious enough to feel pain, but there was nothing she could do. She finished stitching the wound up, taking a wet washcloth and wiping away the copious amounts of blood on his stomach. No matter what she did, the wound still leaked blood.  
  
"Alex, go get me some bandages." She said, taking the candle from him, looking down over Will. Thomas stood beside her. "Is he going to be ok?" He asked quietly. Estrella shrugged slowly.   
  
"I don't know." Her mind was full of thoughts. Elizabeth was still grieving for Will, and this could help her, but there was still Norrington. And then there was the problem of if she even wanted to tell her. What if the man who woke up was not the same blacksmith she had known?  
  
Alex tapped her leg, holding the bandages up to her. She took them, slowly kneeling again. With the help of her two brothers, she managed to bandage his stomach enough to cover the bloody stitching. Clapping her hands, she turned to her brothers.  
  
"Why don't we go out to the kitchen now?" She said, trying to sound lighthearted. The two boys slowly nodded, and she shooed them out of the room.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
_The streets of __Tortuga__ were crowded and chaotic, as usual, but something seemed...off...about them. Will stood near the entrance to the tavern, hands in the pockets of his coat, waiting. He wasn't sure who for, or for what, but he knew he had to wait. A few minutes later, his patience was rewarded.  
  
"Ye look a little lost, lad." The familiar voice behind him jarred him to his soul, and he whirled around, to come face to face with Jack Sparrow, his eyes twinkling mischeviously.  
  
"Jack...I thought you were....."  
  
"Dead?" The pirate captain motioned for him to start walking. "Aye, I'm still dead." He made a face. "Not a lot of fun, really." Will's face fell.  
  
"This means I'm dead too." He said quietly. He'd failed James, he'd failed __Elizabeth__, he'd failed Emma. He swore, feeling the need to hit something.  
  
"Not dead, or atleast, not in the technical sense. I'd say that in the mind aspect, yer pretty much..." He made the motion of slicing a finger across his throat.  
  
"So I've been told..." Will replied, deadpan. "What is this?"  
  
"Yer standin' on the brink of death here, Will. And it all depends on if yer goin' to keep fightin', or if yer goin' to fall." He crossed his arms.   
  
"When did you get so philosophical?" Will asked, raising an eyebrow.  
  
Jack smirked. "When this became yer dream, lad." He waved a hand. "None of this is real, except me." He pointed to himself. "Listen to me, it's not yer time yet. Don't give up just because yer discouraged with yer life at the moment. Ye still have a lot to give, and if ye leave the mortal coil this soon...who knows...." He shrugged. Will stared at him.  
  
"Now I know I'm dreaming when Jack's actually trying to be encouraging." He said. Jack rolled his eyes.  
  
"Look, mate, ye still love her, and if ye leave, then she and Emma have no one."  
  
"They have..."  
  
"No, they don't." Will looked shocked, guilt creeping up on him, as well as shock. Emotions that he hadn't allowed himself to feel in years surfaced.  
  
"What? Did they...."  
  
"Got him too. Ye have to stop this madness, William. Ye know what's goin' on, and it will just keep happenin'..." Will shut his eyes, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Yer still a good man. Just think about that." Will shook his head.  
  
"Jack, I'm not..."_ When he opened his eyes, he found himself lying in bed, staring up at the ceiling. Pain shot up his side, which felt very tight, and he moved hand down to feel the banages, and the bumpy stitches beneath. Memories of right before he blacked out came back to him. One minute, James had been telling him to get up, and then the next...  
  
He shut his eyes again. "I'm so sorry..." He whispered into the darkness.  
  
"For what?" He started at the voice, not knowing there was another person in the room.   
  
"Hello?" He caught a shadowy figure move out of the seat across the room, and move into the candlelight. "Estrella?"  
  
She looked down at him, her face a mix of emotions, arms crossed. "William." She said simply, staring at him.  
  
"Long time, no see." He tried weakly, trying to sit up. She came over, putting her hands on his shoulders and pushing him backdown.   
  
"Don't move. It'll make the stitches pull." She said, as he laid back down.  
  
"But...but I have to...James...." Estrella looked away.  
  
"He's dead." She said softly, looking back at him. "Like you're suppoused to be."  
  
He looked up at her for a moment, before fixing his gaze on the wall. "I was, but then...it's a long story." He looked back towards her. "I need to talk to Elizabeth. She's in danger."  
  
"I don't think now would be the best time." Estrella told him, standing up. "Mrs. Norrington's broken up with grief, it just being after the commodore's death and all." Will rand a hand over his face.  
  
"How long have I been out?" He muttered.  
  
"Three days. It was touch and go there, for a while. Didn't think you would make it." He shut his eyes, feeling the pain abate as he laid still. His mind was racing. All the pieces to the puzzle where there, but he had to make them fit somehow, and then the answer would be right there for him. 

"Why didn't you turn me in?" He asked finally. She looked down at her hands, playing with the hem of her apron.  
  
"Because, sir, you may be a pirate, but you're a good man too. You were always kind to me and my brothers." She smiled. "I wanted to thank you."   
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
Elizabeth stared out the window of the sprawling mansion, her eyes fixed on a place far away, anywhere but where she was then. She'd lost Will all those years ago, and now she'd lost James. He'd just been shot down in the middle of the street. Part of her wanted to think he'd gotten what he deserved, for killing her father, but another part of her told her that wasn't so, that he'd been innocent. Her mind kept flashing back to that night, the way she'd found him, the blood, and the pirate who had been there as well. He'd seemed so familiar, despite the face that she hadn't seen his face.  
  
At her feet, Emma scribbled on the paper Elizabeth had given her, quiet. She'd been like that ever since Gillette had come to the mansion to bring them the news. She frowned. There was something off putting about the man, the way he was insisting he stay around, to make sure she was ok. There were guards in her house, and the possibility that someone would target her and Emma next. A stray tear slipped down her face, and she brushed it away. Why was this happening to them? So much death around them. Why? She couldn't find the answers, no matter how hard she looked. They weren't coincidences.  
  
Emma got up, tugging on her arm and laying the picture on the arm of the chair. Elizabeth shifted around, laying the book she had tried to read on the arm of the chair as well, pulling Emma over to her, wrapping her arms around her waist as they both gazed down at the picture. "What did you draw?" She asked sweetly. Emma pointed at the picture, two stick figures drawn on the paper.  
  
"This one is daddy." She said, pointing to the figure that looked like it had a white cloud sitting on his head. She smiled slightly. Emma pointed to the other stick figure, the one that had a little goatee. "And this one is Will." Elizabeth froze.  
  
"What?" Emma turned to face her.  
  
"Will. Daddy brought him to stay in one of the guest rooms upstairs for the night, the night grandpa died." She gazed up at her mother. "He was a pirate, and he looked just like the man in my favorite story." Elizabeth covered her mouth with her hand, tears springing to his face.   
  
"He did?" Emma nodded. "He was really nice and told me some funny stories about a pirate named Jack too." Elizabeth could barely keep from breaking down right there and then. What was going on? It couldn't be him. She'd seen him hang. She'd heard them pronounce him dead. It couldn't be...  
  
She looked up as Estrella slipped into the room, looking nervous. She twisted the hem of her apron in her hands, looking down at the floor.  
  
"Mrs...I have to tell you...."  
  
"He's alive, isn't he?" Elizabeth stood up, setting Emma into the chair and walking over to the other woman, leaning in close. "Will is alive, isn't he?" Estrella looked up in shock.  
  
"How did you...." She was interrupted when the door swung open, and Gillette walked in, arms behind his back.   
  
"Ah, Elizabeth. I've been looking for you all over." He smiled. "Dinner has been served downstairs. Emma's has been sent to her room with the nurse." Elizabeth's fist clenched. James had not been dead two days yet, and this man already seemed to be moving in on her.   
  
"I'll be right there." She said curtly. Gillette looked to Estrella.   
  
"Don't you have work to be doing?" He asked, raising an eyebrow. The maid nodded, her cheeks flushing red. As she went to leave, Elizabeth grabbed her hand, squeezing it quickly in signal. _Meet me later._ Estrella disappeared out the door, as Gillette offered her his arm.   
  
"Shall we?"


	13. Suprise

A low groan emitted from his throat as he came back to the conscious world at last. He could feel the pain as he moved slight in the side of his stomach, but the fever that had been plaguing him had burned itself out. He opened his eyes, looking around the room. It was early evening by the looks of it, and there seemed to be no one around. The perfect time to escape...that is, if he could move.  
  
Sitting up slowly, he felt the stitches in the side pulling, fresh pain tearing up his side. He looked down, running his hand over the dried blood on the once white bandages. Estrella had left him a fresh shirt on the chair a few feet away, telling him that he could have it when she was satisfied that he was healing ok. But time was at stake and he needed to get going. Throwing his legs over the side, he got to his feet slowly. Standing up slowly, he winced at the new pain, then walked over to the chair. It was hard putting on the shirt, but after a few moments of cursing and struggling, he buttoned it up, slipping the vest on as well. He grabbed his coat, then reached for his weapons. Which weren't there.  
  
"Damn..." He cursed, looking around the room, but the weapons were no where in sight. He dropped the coat on the chair, going through the room, getting down on his knees to check under the cot and the table.  
  
"What are you doing?" Will turned to see Thomas and Alex starting at him. Thomas was holding a pistol at his side, one of Will's, a scared look on his face.  
  
"Where's my other pistol, sword, and dagger?" He asked, getting back up to his feet. Thomas brought the pistol up, his hand shaking, and Will frowned, raising his hands. "What are you doing?"  
  
"We know who you are." Thomas said, and Alex nodded, hiding behind his big brother.   
  
"You and all the rest of the town. Why the sudden hostility?"  
  
"Because you killed innocent people." Will's eyes grew dark, an angry expression crossing his face.   
  
"Where did you hear that?"  
  
Thomas backed up slightly, even more terrified of the pirate. "The soldiers came around this morning, after Estrella left. They were looking for a Captain Matthew Stryder, and the way they described him was a lot like you."  
  
He knew what they were trying to do. They were trying to flush him out by spreading false rumors, hoping someone, an innocent citizen trying to do the right thing would come forward and turn him in. They were even using his assumed alias to do it.   
  
"I am Matt Stryder." He said slowly. "But I've never killed an innocent person."  
  
"The soldiers don't lie to people." Alex spoke up.  
  
"They don't, but maybe someone's lying to them." The two boys look confused. "Sit down." Alex and Thomas scooted towards the chair, Thomas still tightly clutching the pistol. "Look, my real name isn't Matt, it's....how old are you boys?"  
  
"Five." Alex piped up.  
  
"Thirteen." Thomas responded. Will nodded.  
  
"See, there was a man who used to live here, a blacksmith."  
  
"Will Turner." Thomas said. "He was a really nice man. But he died because people thought he was a pirate. Estrella never did, because she knew that even though he had pirate blood, he was a good man." The boy's words quieted Will for a moment, before continuing.  
  
"I'm Will Turner." He said finally. Alex stared at him for a second before bursting into tears. "What? Hey...." Without even thinking about it, Will scooted forwards on his knees towards Alex, trying to calm him down, his fatherly instincts taking over. Alex curled up in the corner of the chair, shying away from him. "What's wrong?"  
  
"You're....you're...you're a g-g-ghost." Alex cried. Will shook his head, an easy smile on his face.  
  
"I'm not a ghost. I'm still alive." The boy sniffled, looking at him. Thomas regarded him as well.  
  
"You're Will? I thought you weren't a pirate." Thomas said finally.  
  
"I wasn't, until that happened." To his surprised, Alex crawled over to him and laid his head against Will's chest. Hesitantly, he wrapped his arms around the boy, looking over at Thomas. "I was falsely accused."  
  
"Estrella was right."  
  
"Aye, that she was." Will held out his hand, looking down at the pistol. Thomas looked down as well, then set it in Will's hand.  
  
"Why did you come back?"  
  
Will wasn't sure how to answer the question, staring at the floor. Finally he spoke up. "Bad things are happening and I think Eli...Mrs. Norrington might be in trouble." Thomas nodded.   
  
"They said weird stuff was happening. I'd hate if anything would happen to Mrs. Norrington and Emma, they're both really nice. Commodore Norrington was really nice too." He said quietly. Will felt guilt bloom in his heart, but refused to let his face show it.  
  
"Yeah...which is why I need you to show me where my weapons are so I can go help her." He pleaded. Thomas bit his lip for a moment.  
  
"In the kitchen, in the big pot." Will got to his feet, letting go of Alex.   
  
"Thank you." He strode into the kitchen, and sure enough, there was the pot. There was also someone standing next to it. A very familiar someone. Will's eyes narrowed dangerously as he regarded the other man.  
  
"Regular bunch of Lazarus' we all are, aren't we?" He said, an ironic smirk on his face.   
  
Michael, his supposedly dead best friend smirked back. "Well, I never really died, just made it look like I did." He cocked his head. "I thought you'd be more surprised to see me."  
  
"I'm not stupid." The smile disappeared off Will's face. "How much did they have to pay you to betray your best friend, eh? Better be a good sum, or I'll be really insulted." His temper was rising, his hands clenched in fists, cursing that the traitor was between him and his weapons.  
  
"You should know, Will, you looked right at it that night..."  
  
_Clapping and cheering filled the tavern as Will and __Elizabeth__ burned up the dance floor, energetically dancing among the rest to the small band that had volunteered to play that night. The smile on Will's face could not be wiped away, and __Elizabeth__'s cheeks were flushed red, glowing happily. Nearby, Governor Swann laughed and clapped his hands, Michael sitting next to him, baby Emma cuddled protectively in his arms as he watched __Elizabeth__ and Will dance. It was the perfect night, no worries to bog them down.  
  
The song ended, and Will came to a halt, catching __Elizabeth__ in his arms. She sighed, snuggling up against his chest as they walked back to the table, tired.  
  
"This is a wonderful birthday party." __Elizabeth__ told Michael as they approached. "Thank you."  
  
Michael smiled. "Anything for the beautiful, loving wife of my best friend." He teased, and Will nudged him with his elbow.  
  
"She's taken." He joked, as Michael mockingly hit his head with his palm.   
  
"I knew that." He looked up. "If you'll excuse me for a moment, I have to go play tavern keeper." He handed Emma to __Elizabeth__ and took off through the crowd. __Elizabeth__ looked down at the child in her arms.  
  
"She's so tired. I should take her home." She said, looking up at Will. Will nodded, smiling gently.  
  
"Just let me go say good-bye to Michael and I'll be right there." He wandered through the crowd, looking for the other man. He finally found him in the back, talking with two other men. Will stopped a few feet away, and they stopped talking, looking over at him.  
  
"Lieutenant Gillette, sir." He wasn't sure who the other man was, but he nodded to him as well to be polite. He would later come to find out that this man was a mercenary named Ghost. Michael looked over at him.   
  
"Everything ok?" Will nodded.  
  
"Yeah, I just wanted to come thank you for helping me throw this birthday party for __Elizabeth__ and to say goodnight. Emma's exhausted, so we're going to take her home." He held out his hand to shake Michael's. Michael juggled the large coin purse in one hand over to the other.  
  
"I didn't mind. Anything for my best friend." He said, laughing._  
  
"That was a pretty hefty amount, but looks can be deceiving." He stared at Michael as he said it. "I trusted you..."  
  
"And I could make a fortune off of you." Michael pointed the pistol at him. "And I can make double of what I did last time, because you can't stay dead. So thank you, Will."  
  
Will stared at him. "Why fake your death?"  
  
"Elizabeth was too needy and she was becoming attached. Needed to get away. And being second in command of a mercenary ship has its rewards."   
  
Will growled. "You sold me out for a position on a ship of scumbags."  
  
"And pirates are better?"  
  
"Aye, they ar...." He winced as Michael pulled out another pistol and shot it into the ground near Will's foot. The boys stayed silent and Will thanked God for that.  
  
Michael pointed at the door. "Come on, Mr. Turner, we're going to go see an old friend." 


	14. Welcome Home

There was a carriage waiting outsie the house, as Will, Alex, and Thomas were all led out at the point of a pistol, kept close to Michael's side as not to attract unwanted attention. As soon as they got in, he slid in and shut the door, knocking on the door behind him for the driver to go. The carriage jumped to a start, a fresh bolt of pain from the bumping going up Will's side. He winced, grabbing it unintentionally. Michael watched him, a look of intrest on his face.  
  
"Twice I've tried to kill you and twice you've come back." He said, smirking. Will looked up at him, a dark expression on his face. "I thought for sure that I'd gotten you for good a couple nights ago. Then I get word that Estrella's harboring a man she found shot in the street." Will shot him a dark look.  
  
"So was James on your list too, or did you kill him just because he was there?" He growled, trying not to flinch as the carriage hit another bump, sending more pain up his side.  
  
"No, he was part of it. Damn, William, I thought you would have figured this out by now." Alex scooted closer to Will, curling up at his side. Will put an arm around the boy's shoulders. It was his fault they were in this mess as well as him.  
  
"I have. Just a few holes I needed to fill in." Will responded quietly. "How do you sleep at night?" He asked suddenly. "Knowing you betrayed your best friend?"  
  
"I sleep very well, on a bed of silk, with a wench by my side." Michael laughed. "The price was right, no offense, Will."  
  
"Oh, of course I'm not offended." Will muttered, sarcastically. "You stupid bastard. I hope you know that men such as yourselves always have things come back around and bite you in the ass."  
  
"I wouldn't start preaching, WIll. You don't exactly lead a righteous life either. Pillaging, plundering, looting, and stealing...drink up me hearties, yo ho! Isn't that the way the song goes?" The pirate refused to look at him, staring at the floor.   
  
After a while of silence, he spoke up. "Where are we going?" He asked, finally looking at the mercenary that had once been his friend. Michael was in the process of checking his pistols.  
  
"I said we were going to see an old friend." He said simply. "You'll see when we get there."  
  
Alex looked up at Will. "Is he going to hurt us?" He whispered, tears starting to appear in his eyes. Will felt terrible, rubbing his shoulder.  
  
"I don't know." Thomas hadn't said a word, sitting close to the door, his head down.  
  
"You know, you don't need the kid..."  
  
"I'm not going to hurt them. Just take them to their sister is all. They're of no concern to me." Will frowned.  
  
"We're going to the Swann mansion." Everything fell into place now, all the missing details suddenly coming to him. "Tell me, is Gillette as insane as he's coming off right now." He said bitterly. It all made sense.  
  
_James looked up as his second in command slammed into his office, seething. "Sir, why haven't we gone after Sparrow yet?" He asked. "I believe our mission statement is to keep the seas safe from pirates."  
  
James looked up from the piles of papers resting on his desk. "Mr. Gillette, we will go when I say. As for Sparrow, we can afford to let him go." In all honestly, Jack had done more good in Port Royal then he most likely ever would have admitted, helping to erase the threat of the cursed Black Pearl, eliminating Barbossa, and saving Elizabeth's life. He could afford to let him go this time. But Gillette wasn't buying it.  
  
"He's a pirate, sir." He placed heavy emphasis on 'sir.' He went to the front of the desk. "In all honesty sir, I believe you're starting to slip."  
  
James got to his feet, leaning on the desk. "Lieutenant Gillette, is there reason for you to be questioning my methods?" He asked, trying to keep his voice calm.  
  
"There is. First, you're letting Sparrow get away. Second, you're letting a pirate walk around in __Port Royal__ and doing nothing about it." James's eyes narrowed.  
  
"You can't possibly be talking about..."  
  
"William Turner, sir. He's the son of Bootstrap Bill Turner. He's engaged in piracy, and most likely still is under Jack Sparrow's command." He said forcefully. James stood upright, rolling his eyes.  
  
"These accusations are completely unfounded. Mr. Turner is not a pirate, and I'm sure you could easily find this out if you asked __Elizabeth__. He hasn't left her side since he found out that she's with child." He noticed an odd flicker in Gillette's eyes, but dismissed it as it disappeared as quick as it had come. "Now, if you don't mind, I have much work to do." He leveled a dark look at him.   
  
Gillette stared back at him. "Yes, sir." He said finally, turning and walking out of the office. James watched him leave, before sitting back down. He would have to keep an eye on him. That kind of an attitude could cause dissension._  
  
"He hired you, because he knew how close you were to me." Will said, anger and hurt welling up in him. Michael regarded him closely.   
  
"Why else?"  
  
"Apparently I have a flawed judgement when it comes to character if I ever trusted you." Alex whimpered as the voices of both men kept getting louder.  
  
"So what was it? Gillette wanted Elizabeth and he wanted power right? And then Jack and I were the added bonuses. He saw the opportunity to put me out of the picture by pinning piracy on me, seeing that I hung in the gallows. Puts me out of the picture. Jack, he didn't like it that he escaped, and Norrington let him. So he had him tracked down and shot. Governor Swann, he was targeted only because Elizabeth and her husband would get his inheritance when he did die. And James, he wanted his job. If he died, he would be the next in command, and become commodore. That leaves Elizabeth all alone and open for him to come in and win her heart." He growled, trying to calm himself down.  
  
"I'm impressed, Will, really I am." Michael raised an eyebrow. "You've managed to cover it all pretty well."  
  
"Gillette hired Ghost to track down Jack, gave him the uniforms to cover up who it really was. He hired you so that he could keep track of my movements. How much deeper does this go?"  
  
"You've pretty much covered it all, don't worry." The carriage came to a halt. Michael pointed the pistol at Will. "The kids first, then you. Move nice and slow."  
  
"Yes, because I was planning on sprinting away with a hole in the side of my stomach." Michale backhanded him with the butt of the pistol.  
  
"Cut the sarcasm." He said darkly. "Now move." Alex scrambled out of the seat, pushing the door open, Thomas behind him. Will got out slowly, feeling Michael press the pistol barrel in his back between his shoulder blades. "Walk in."  
  
Will walked to the door, already opened by the two boys. It seemed like so long ago that he'd stood there in the foyer, waiting for Governor Swann to come down the stairs to receive the sword he'd requested. Estrella came out of the kitchen, bearing a tray. When she saw the two men, her brothers huddled against the stairway, she dropped the tray, the crash echoing through the foyer.  
  
"Estrella, go get the...." The door to the right of them opened, and Gillette looked out.   
  
"What is the meaning of all this..." His eyes fell on Will, staring at him, his eyes blazing with anger and pain. "I told you NOT to bring him here." He hissed. "I don't want..."  
  
"Who is it?" Elizabeth looked out the door as well, stepping into the foyer. "You didn't tell me we were having guests." Then she took in the two men. Two men who were suppoused to be very much dead. She wavered slightly, her hand going to her mouth. "Michael..." Her eyes locked on Will, and tears sprang to her eyes. "It was true...Emma was telling the truth..." She started towards him, and he wanted nothing more to take her into his arms. But Gillette thrust a hand out, catching her by the arm.  
  
"That's not a good idea, Elizabeth. The pirate will hang before the sun rises tomorrow." He said coldly. 


	15. One Last Fight

"Hang?" Elizabeth's voice echoed through the foyer, making it clear that she did not believe he'd said that. "How can you hang him? You've already hung him once as an innocent man." She yanked her arm from his grasp, staring at him coldly. "It already took my husband once..." She stepped in front of him, chin held high, eyes blazing. "I will not let the gallows have him again." Her hands were shaking. "I've already lost too many people that I care about." Even with Will's sudden appearance, her heart still ached for James as well. Maybe she hadn't loved him like she had Will, but she'd loved him all the same.  
  
"He's a pirate." Gillette narrowed his eyes at her. "I'm bound by law to see that he gets what he deserves." He pushed her aside, walking towards Michael. "Stay with him until the guards arrive. I'm sending..." He saw Thomas standing by Estrella's side. "You. Boy, go get Lieutenant Groves and tell him we have a dangerous fugitive at the Swann mansion." Thomas looked up at Estrella, a pained look on his face. Her expression mirrored his, but she couldn't speak what she thought.  
  
"Be a good boy and do as he says." She told him. Thomas nodded, turning and running out the door. That done, Estrella took a step forward. "Lieutenant Gillette." She looked awkwardly at the floor. "Sir, if you don't mind, I'd like to change his bandages." Will looked down at his stomach, only to find that the shir underneath the undone vest was turning red again. Odd, he hadn't even noticed. Suddenly it hit him, and an idea was worked out. Slowly, he began to sway, barely noticeable.  
  
"I'm fine, Estrella, really. Just a little tired." Michael glanced over at him, then at Gillette. "He's wavering. Too much blood lost." Estrella nodded.  
  
"He did lose a lot." Gillette rolled his eyes.  
  
"Fine, sit him down, but you, Miss. Smith, will not be helping him. You already have enough to answer for, harboring a known fugitive and obstruction of justice."  
  
"She was only doing what she thought was right. It was a terrible position to be put in." Elizabeth protested, coming to the defense of her friend. Her reward was a slap across the face.  
  
"You will speak only when spoken to." The look in his eyes made it apparent to everyone that the man was not all there. Elizabeth stared at him in shock, her hand to her cheek.  
  
"How dare you?" She stared him straight in the face. "I am not yours to boss around."  
  
"Elizabeth, don't." Will begged.  
  
"Shut up, pirate. If you'd stayed dead the first time, we wouldn't be in this mess. James would still be alive, and so would Governor Swann." Gillette snapped. The tension was coming to the breaking point in the room, and Will knew he had to act fast.  
  
He let his knees collapse, falling to the floor as if he'd passed out. Estrella gasped, as Elizabeth turned, shouting his name.  
  
"Damn it, get him up!" Gillette snapped at Michael. Michael shot him a dark look, before sticking his pistol in his belt and reaching down to grip Will's collar. It was a mistake on his part. Will's eyes fluttered open, and he growled, slamming his forehead into the bridge of Michael's nose with a harsh crack. The wounded mercenary stumbled back, flinging droplets of blood across Will's face. He got to his feet, not quick enough to see Gillette come up behind him, slamming him into the wall, elbow under his chin.  
  
"She's mine, William. I've worked this hard and this long for her. You'll never win." One hand reached down, sticking a finger in his side. Will grunted in pain, but didn't cry out. Michael pulled his pistol back out, cocking it, as well as another, pointing it at Estrella and Elizabeth.  
  
"I say we kill him now, spare ourselves the pain." Michael spat. "Dirty pirates always find someway to slip past the law." Will's knee went into Gillette's stomach, his arm slipping from Will's neck. Michael swung around, distracted by the sudden movement. Moving quickly, Elizabeth reached forward and plucked the pistol from his grasp, and as he swung around with the other one, his face met a silver serving tray, compliments of Estrella. With a groan, he crumpled to the floor. Estrella stepped up and hit him one more time, knocking him unconscious.  
  
Gillette's fist connected with Will's jaw, sending him crashing into one of the side tables in the hallway. He gasped as he felt the stitches break, the wound tearing open again. Swinging around, he slammed a right hook into Gillette's face, knocking him back. "I was happy. I had a beautiful wife, a beautiful little girl that I never got to see grow up, a great business, my life was damn near perfect. Then you come along and ruin it all, just because of a little crush you have." He growled. Gillette stared at him impassively, wiping the blood from his lip.  
  
"You're beneath her, Mr. Turner." He growled. "A lowly blacksmith with pirate blood. Sickening. As if you could ever have her." Will's eyes grew dark with anger, his fist clenching and unclenching.  
  
"I knew she was above me, but I loved her anyway. And she must have loved me if she agreed to marry me." He smirked. "And if I'm below her, what does that make a psychotic person like you?" Gillette screamed, pushing off the wall and lunging into Will. Both men hit the ground. Elizabeth looked to Estrella, unsure of what to do. She couldn't shoot, and risk hitting Will. Instead, she called his name softly. He looked up for a split second, and she slid the pistol across the floor. Gillette tried to reach for it, but Will pushed it back down, reaching the pistol and bringing it around, the barrel right between Gillette's eyes. Will's eyes were dark, cold, showing no mercy.  
  
"Do it...shoot me in front of Elizabeth, let her see what you've become." Gillette hissed. Will smiled.  
  
"You know the saying 'Eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth?'" Gillette opened his mouth to say something, when Will slammed the butt end of the pistol across his temple, rendering the man unconscious. "How about noose for a noose...." He muttered.  
  
Slowly he started to climb to his feet, but his body was too weak, and he collapsed on the ground. Elizabeth was at his side in a moment, Estrella helping to roll him onto his back. He looked up at her, the image starting to blur as his eyes became unfocused.  
  
Estrella bit her lip. "Mrs....Elizabeth, he's lost a lot of blood, between when he first got the wound and..." Elizabeth's shriek cut her off as Will's eyes started to close.  
  
"Stay awake, damn it!" It was the first time he'd ever heard her curse, and it shocked him slightly. His hand grabbed hers, his grip waning.  
  
"Elizabeth..." She leaned down towards him. "I love you." His vison began to fade into blackness.  
  
"Will...." Elizabeth stroked the hair back from his face, tears forming in her eyes. "Don't leave me again..." She sobbed quietly. "I just found you." 


	16. No Matter What

"Miss...Miss Swann?" Elizabeth opened her eyes to look over at Estrella, standing near her side. She took a deep breath, her eyes locking on the horizon as the sun rose in the early morning, creating a soft glow over the sea as the light beams shone through the fog.  
  
"Elizabeth, Estrella. We're good friends. Please call me Elizabeth." She said softly, looking over at her. Estrella was no longer her maid, Elizabeth had seen to that. She was too much of her friend and confidante to be serving her in anyway.  
  
"Sorry, Mi...I mean, Elizabeth. Habit." The early morning currents caused the boat to rock a little bit more than usual, and Elizabeth gripped the rail to keep herself from losing balance.  
  
"It's ok." She turned to Estrella. "Just wanted to see the sunrise. Always beautiful out here on the ocean. Pity it may be the last I see out here."  
  
"Are you sure this is what you want?" Estrella questioned. "Never going back to Port Royal?"  
  
"There's nothing left there that I care about." Tears sprang to her eyes, and almost immediately she hated herself for crying. Tears were a weakness to her now. Just because she didn't have anyone, didn't mean she couldn't survive. Not at all. In fact, it most likely meant that she would be stronger, and take the challenge to show the world she could be independent and raise Emma all on her own.  
  
Why had he left her like that? She reached up to wipe the tears from her eyes. Estrella watched her, concern on her face. Most of the time, Elizabeth was fine, acting her cheerful self, socializing and playing with her daughter. But she wondered if it all wasn't a ruse, some kind of game so no one would really know how she felt. Every time Elizabeth was alone, such as now, she became quiet and distant.  
  
"It's a beautiful mornin', to be sure." Estrella said finally.  
  
"That it is. He..." She trailed off, biting her lip. "Every time I see it, it reminds me of him." Her voice shook, as Estrella wrapped an arm around her shoulder. Elizabeth laid her head on Estrella's shoulder, closing her eyes, tears coming fast now.  
  
_"Will...." Elizabeth stroked the hair back from his face, tears forming in her eyes. "Don't leave me again..." She sobbed quietly. "I just found you."  
  
His eyes were starting to close again, too heavy for him to hold open. He was so tired, and it seemed so easy to just fall asleep, let the pain drift away. Estrella heard the sounds first, going to the window. __Lieutenant__Groves__ and his men were coming up the drive, coming for Will. She turned around, running to __Elizabeth__'s side.   
  
"We have to hide him." She said, laying a hand on __Elizabeth__'s shoulder. Elizabeth nodded quickly, turning as she heard more footsteps, and the door to the kitchen burst open. Thomas came running out, followed by two familiar people.   
  
"Anamaria, Gibbs." __Elizabeth__ couldn't be happier to see the two pirates.   
  
"Merciful mother." Gibbs said softly, looking around at the damage, his eyes landing on Will, barely alive on the floor. Ana stuck the pistol she'd been holding in her belt, grabbing Gibbs's arm and going over to __Elizabeth__.  
  
"We have to get him out of here. The soldiers are coming." She said quickly. Estrella nodded.  
  
"I saw them coming. We have to hide him. You won't get him out of here before they come in his condition." Will uttered a soft grunt, and __Elizabeth__ looked down, still running her fingers through his hair soothingly.  
  
Gibbs took her arm. "Ye get rid of the red coats and me and Ana will look after the captain here. Promise." Elizabeth stared at him for a moment, before nodding slowly. "Good lass." He said, giving her a gentle smile before going over to Ana. "Let's get him into the kitchen." Ana nodded, grabbing Will's feet, while Gibbs grabbed his arms, lifting. Will winced in pain, gritting his teeth, bordering on conscious and unconscious.  
  
__Elizabeth__ turned to the door as __Groves__ and his men burst in. Shock registered on their faces as they saw the scene before them, Gillette out cold on the floor, __Elizabeth__'s bloody dress, and the amount of destruction done to the foyer. __Elizabeth__ pointed at Gillette. "That man is responsible for the deaths of William Turner, James Norrington, and Henry Swann, among who knows how many others." She said firmly.  
  
"Mrs. Norrington, you must be...." __Groves__ protested, but __Elizabeth__ shook her head.  
  
"I'm not. He and that other man..." She trailed off as she pointed to where Michael was, or had been. "Estrella?" The maid shook her head, as she had not seen him leave either. __Elizabeth__ bit her lip. "There was another man he was working with, a mercenary."  
  
__Groves__ shook his head, unbelieving. "Mrs. Norrington, I know your husband's death has hurt you deeply, but attacking people and pointing fingers is no way to help that." Elizabeth's mouth opened in shock, but she couldn't find the words.  
  
"He hurt Will. He's a bad man." She whirled around, finding Emma sitting on the bottom steps, clutching a rag dolly. "He's always been a bad man." Emma said, nodding her head and staring at Gillette with a hateful expression on her face. Groves went over, crouching in front of her.  
  
"What's that you're saying, Emma?" The little girl looked over at him.  
  
"He said he worked too hard and too long for mommy." Emma told him truthfully. A look of understanding dawned in __Groves__' eyes as he stood up.  
  
"Men, clap him in irons." He said. "I'm sorry for the troubles, Mrs. Norrington. I'll make sure he gets what he deserves." A few moments later, the still unconscious Gillette was shackled and led away. Estrella looked down at Emma, before picking her up in her arms.   
  
"Thank goodness for the honest words of babes." She said softly, as Emma played with her doll. The little girl looked over at her.  
  
"Where's Will?" She asked. Elizabeth's eyes widened, and she brushed past Estrella, running for the kitchen. The door banged open, and Ana looked up, pain in her eyes._  
  
She cried the hardest she had in months. That event, now a year in the past, seemed so close to her heart still. Estrella could give her no words of comfort, only rub her back and stay quiet.  
  
The cry from the crow's nest broke through the early morning quiet, and Estrella looked up, squinting in the fog.   
  
"Pirates! Pirates on our starboard side!" He shouted, and suddenly there was a flurry of activity on board, the boshun shouting orders, men working on the sails and such. They had no means to fight, being only a simple passenger and cargo ship. Elizabeth's fingers tightened on Estrella's arm, turning her head to look.  
  
A black flag rose to the top of the mast, the grinning crossbones flapping eerily in the early morning fog. Estrella started to pull her away. "Elizabeth!" She protested, as the woman didn't move. "We can't stay here!" Elizabeth still didn't move, as the ship came closer.  
  
"Strike our colors! We should be safe as long as they don't raise the red flag." Elizabeth broke from her thoughts at the mention of the flag that signaled no quarter given. So far, only the Jolly Roger could be seen. The speed of the merchant ship was no match for the quicker pirate ship. It was on them in a matter of moments.  
  
Emma, awakened by the noise, had slipped from her cabin and gotten up on decks. "Mum!"  
  
Elizabeth turned as the eight year old ran to her, clutching her hand. Elizabeth held on tightly, knowing they would never get away now. She shut her eyes tightly. _So this is how it ends?_  
  
The crew of the merchant vessel stood in front of the passengers, not a weapon in sight, hoping to give the pirates what they wanted, and that they would be left alone after that. To their surprise, one line was thrown across, and only one man came across. The rest stayed on the ship, quiet.   
  
The man could only have been the captain of the pirate ship. His hat was pulled low over his features, making it hard to identify him, crossing his arms as he stared at the crew from beneath the brim of the tri-cornered hat. Finally he spoke up.  
  
"I'm looking for Elizabeth Swann."


	17. Home

Silence fell on the deck of the ship. No one said a word or stepped forward. In face, they remained where they were in order to block Elizabeth from the pirate's sight. Finally, the captain stepped up.  
  
"There's no Elizabeth Swann on this ship. If that's all you've come for, then I believe you'll be leaving empty handed." He muttered, crossing his arms and trying to look defiant, although he was worried the lack of cooperation would get his ship burned.  
  
"She's on this ship." The pirate captain regarded the other man, putting his hands in his pocket. "I'd like to see her." He made it apparent that he wouldn't leave unless he spoke to her. Elizabeth shut her eyes, still holding Emma tightly by the hand. She knew what she had to do. It was the one option her mind kept coming back to.  
  
"Emma." She said softly. The little girl looked up at her, wondering what was going on. Elizabeth knelt quietly, wrapping her arms around the child. "Mum has to go now. I want you to be a good girl for Estrella alright?" She whispered. Emma pulled back from her.  
  
"Where are you going?" She asked. "Can't I come with you?"  
  
Elizabeth shook her head. "Not this time, little one. I love you." She placed a kiss on Emma's forehead, then got to her feet. "Estrella, take care of Emma for me." She whispered, then started to go towards the front of the crowd. Estrella grabbed her arm.   
  
"Elizabeth! You can't go!" She hissed, trying to pull her back.   
  
Elizabeth turned, shooting the woman a look. "He wants me, and he's not going to leave until he gets what he wants, or he could most likely blast this ship out of the water. I don't want my daughter, or you, or your brothers, or the other people on this ship to die needlessly because I didn't come forth." She placed her hand on Estrella's. "Please, just take care of her for me. You're the only one I would trust with her. Please?" She could see the reluctance in the other woman's eyes, but slowly she nodded.  
  
"I will." She hugged Elizabeth. "May God be with you." Elizabeth hugged her back for what seemed like forever, before breaking away. Picking up her skirts, she moved through the crowd to the front, coming up beside the captain.  
  
"I am Elizabeth Swann." She told the pirate, holding her head up. "What do you want?" She was surprised to find she wasn't even scared, like she knew that no harm would come to anyone. But still, it took all her power not to take a step back when he walked towards her. His features were covered in shadow by the low brim of the hat, the sun rising behind him making it hard for her to see who it was.  
  
"I have a message from an old friend." Elizabeth crossed her arms.  
  
"I only have one old friend, and she is with me on this ship." She said firmly. "What message is it?"  
  
"This." Without another word or warning, he took her face in his hands and kissed her. But instead of a rough, grating kiss she'd been expecting, it was soft, passionate, and very familiar. She broke the kiss, reaching up and pulling off the hat, looking into familiar brown eyes, sparkling mischievously.  
  
"You came back!" She shouted, wrapping her arms around his shoulders, tears springing to her eyes. The rest of the crew wasn't quite sure how to deal with this turn of events, seeing Elizabeth hugging the pirate that had just taken their ship hostage.  
  
He hugged her tightly, resting his cheek on her shoulder. "I came back." Will whispered softly to her.  
  
_Elizabeth__ grabbed Anamaria by the arms. "Is he still alive?" She asked, panicking, seeing the look on the woman's face.  
  
Ana nodded. "Aye, but I don't think he's goin' to make it." She said quietly, looking at the ground. "He's in bad shape, __Elizabeth__." __Elizabeth__ rushed past her, running into the kitchen. Gibbs stood by the table they'd laid Will on, holding the younger pirate's hand and rubbing it, talking to him and trying to keep him awake. Will's eyes were only half open, and he seemed like he was fighting off going to sleep. Elizabeth rushed over, taking his hand as well.  
  
"Will..." She whispered, leaning in close to him. Her voice brought a weary smile to his face.  
  
"__Elizabeth__." He looked up at her, although his eyes were glazed over. "Did we win?"  
  
She smiled, tears coming to her eyes. "Yes, we won." He shut his eyes.  
  
"Finally." Estrella and Anamaria came into the kitchen behind her.  
  
"Miss Elizabeth, I can fix him up. I don't know if it'll help any, but I can try." Estrella said. __Elizabeth__ nodded.  
  
"Please, do whatever you can." She kissed Will lightly on the forehead, before leaving the room with Gibb's, leaving Ana and Estrella behind. Gibbs led her to the sitting room, making her sit down in a chair and sitting himself beside her. Elizabeth burst into tears, leaning up against him, and he put an arm around her shoulders, not saying a thing, just letting her cry.  
  
A while later, Estrella came out, wiping bloody hands on her apron. "I got the bleeding stopped, but only time will tell if it was soon enough." She said hesitantly. "I had Jacob and Reginold move him carefully to a guest room, if you'd like to see him." __Elizabeth__ got to her feet, wiping her eyes and walking out the door.  
  
The next few days were hell, watching him slip in and out of consciousness, wondering if every time she managed to say even a few words to him while he could hear her would be the last. Estrella was helping taking care of Emma, and Ana was playing the role of Will's nurse for the time being. Gibbs was trying to watch for her well being. She appreciated it all, but right now, she just wanted Will to wake up, and be ok. She needed him so bad right now.  
  
~~~~~~~~  
  
"You're leaving?" Elizabeth's voice held a great deal of shock as she stood in the doorway of the guestroom, watching Will move around, gathering his belongings. "Just like that?"  
  
Will grabbed the clean shirt off the bed, slowly pulling it on, trying not to move his arms any higher than he needed to. Many white bandages were still wrapped around his waist, but there wasn't a spot of blood on them for the first time in days. "I have to. I don't belong here."  
  
She marched into the room, standing by his side as he buttoned up the shirt. "Of course you do. How can you say that?" He turned to look at her.  
  
"I'm not the same William Turner you knew, __Elizabeth__. I'm not the man you married. I don't belong in society anymore, not with the life I've been leading." He regretted the words, seeing the tears come to her eyes. He hated hurting her, but he couldn't stay.   
  
"So what if you've changed some, Will? We all do! What about Emma? What about me?" She pleaded with him. He pulled on his coat, not looking at her. "Why can't you stay?"  
  
"I'm a pirate, Elizabeth. I belong on the open seas. I have a crew to think about now." He finally looked up at her. "And as much as I love you and Emma, I think I've been living this life too long to make a good father or husband." He slung the duffle over his shoulder, and stood in front of her. "I love you, Elizabeth, and I always will. But I can't stay." He leaned down, kissing her softly, before walking away. Elizabeth stood there for a moment, her fingers lightly brushing her lips before tears spilled down her cheeks. She fell onto the bed, head buried in her arms, sobbing quietly._  
  
Elizabeth broke away from him suddenly, her expression guarded. "Why have you come back? After a year, I'd give up hope."   
  
Will looked down at the deck, crossing his arms in front of him. "I did a lot of thinking. The good, the bad, the shades of grey, and I thought it over well." He looked up as Estrella came through the crowd, leading Emma with her. "I want to be a father and husband again." A huge grin broke across Emma's face as she saw him.  
  
"Will!" She shouted, running towards him, arms thrown wide. He caught her, lifting her into the air and bringing her back down again.   
  
"Look how you've grown!" He laughed as she wrapped her arms around his neck when he knelt down to her level. Elizabeth watched the scene, a mixture of emotions on her face.   
  
"Will." He looked up at her. "What about your crew? You said you had to take care of them now."   
  
Will looked towards the ship. "I am. I've found her the perfect captain. I believe you know him." He said with a wry grin, waving to the ship. "Captain Joshamee Gibbs." Gibbs waved back at Will. Elizabeth waved as well.  
  
He turned back to her. "There's only one thing left." He knelt down in front of her. "Elizabeth, will you marry me?" He paused. "Again?"  
  
She looked confused. "Again?"  
  
"My death nulled our marriage." He said sheepishly.  
  
"Then yes! Of course I will." She pulled him to his feet, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and kissing him. He kissed her back. Behind them, the crew stood, looking confused, not knowing if they should clap. On the Pearl, rambunctious shouting started up, hats thrown in the air, pistols shot off, before Gibbs's voice could be heard over it, calling orders to disengage the Pearl from the ship and get ready to make way. Elizabeth looked towards Emma.  
  
"Emma, remember when you asked me where you father had gone, and I told you he had to go away?" The little girl nodded. "Emma, he came home." Emma looked up at Will, eyes wide, before throwing her arms around his leg.  
  
"Daddy!" Will picked her up, holding her in one arm.  
  
"I've come home, Emma, and I'm staying." She wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him on the cheek. Will looked to Elizabeth, taking her hand in his.  
  
"Are you sure about this?" She asked, as the Pearl began to pull away.  
  
"There's no where else I'd rather be." He told her, pulling her to him again, his lips meeting hers. Emma wrinkled her nose.  
  
"Ewww...." The couple broke apart, laughing. Will looked to his daughter, kissing her on the cheek.  
  
"This is the only place for me."  
  


                                                ~End~


End file.
